Fifteen Years' Worth
by Margulide
Summary: Living Seventeen Years, never receiving that which should have been his. Denied, due to circumstances beyond his control. The Gift that was kept away for Fifteen Years is finally received at the day of his victory.
1. Prologue: Fifteen Years' Worth

**Disclaimer: I'm not female, nor do I have the initals JKR, which, if you're looking up stories to read in this section of FanFiction dot Net… you should know who they belong to, as she is the creator of the highest-used realm of impossibilities that we would like to take part in. **

**(Harry Potter, if you didn't know)**

**Sadly, I don't own it.**

**If I did… I'd still probably read FanFiction. *wink***

******"Fifteen Years' Worth" is a non-profit based 'Fanfic.' Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling and whoever else she is sharing the profits with. Please support the official release.**  


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_'Thoughts'_

"**Conversations." /** "Conversations." / _**"Conversations."**_

Posted: Thursday, January 20, 2011

Updated (Second Time): Thursday, March 3, 2011: Removed random rant from the Author's notes bottom. Added even more info and cleared up some things.

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**Fifteen Years' Worth**

**Prologue**

**~Fifteen Years' Worth~**

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**- Prologue: Start –**

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**November 7, 1981 - Flamel Manor, Somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere  
**

Nicolas frowned, staring at the letter he held in his hand.

This kid, Harry Potter… the monitors showed he was on the 'Good Kid' list. But unlike the others… he was on the 'Bad Kid' list as well.

"This isn't right." He muttered to himself, his brows knitting themselves together in his worry. Looking at the records, he was a very good kid last year, and recently, he'd gotten a message from the elves that monitored the children. And, sad to say, this new generation of magicals… to say the least... well… They sucked. He wasn't much for put-downs and stuff like that, but those in power certainly were horrible parents if they were the ones teaching the children their bad habits. He shook his head, letting loose a long sigh that fluttered his wide beard.

"What's wrong, Nick?" a voice called out from the antechamber to his study. His wife, Perenelle, of over four hundred years. Dressed in a red dress framed in white, the woman three-hundred years his junior still flaunted her voluptuous body at him constantly… ahh, the wonders of true love. Moving his eyes away from the sight of her swaying hips he motioned for her to come closer.

"This kid…" he muttered, pointing at the reports, "They show that he's on the lists."

Raising her eyebrow delicately, she asked slowly, wondering whether or not he was drunk, "What's wrong with that, husband?"

He shook his head, handing over both of the letters as he thought over the situation, letting her find out for herself. And at her gasp of surprise, he chuckled, "You see?"

"Yeah… how is it possible, Nicolas?" she asked, settling down on the armrest of his chair.

"I have no idea. And I've checked over the monitoring wards I've set up… and they're working even better than they should be."

"Then why don't we go and try to find him?" she asked, holding the papers in her left hand and running her other one through his head.

He smiled grimly as he shook his head, "I've already tried. I can't find him, nor can I send him anything. Anything sent gets turned away. Even the elves can't find him… This is terribly disconcerting."

"Well, why don't we make monitors for him specifically, so that we could find him if he does appear?"

"Sadly… we can't… we can only check every once in a while. We have many other children to check over, anyway." He suggested, before a grin slowly came to his face.

Seeing that look, she eyed him warily, peering closely at his eyes, "What are you thinking, Nick?"

"I was just thinking…" he slowly began, taking hold of her hands as he stared back at her face, "that this… might be a great way to figure out that one problem with the Desiderium-Carisma Runic Array. And if the problem with this list is any indication… this could only give him something good."

Pouting and turned away playfully, she huffed, "oh… I thought it was something else…"

Rolling his eyes as he swiftly got up and picked her up bridal style, giving her a peck on the lips, "Oh there's something else as well… something we could do right now…" he whispered, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Really?" she breathed as she ran her hands over his chest, increasing the size of her already amazing bust.

"Really Really…" he replied, walking them to their bedroom, "Mrs. Flamel."

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**May 2, 1998 - Hogwarts Grounds, Scotland  
**

Harry stared impassively down at the limp form of Voldemort. Or as he openly mocked him during this last fight, Mr. Flight, his shadow running over the now dead wizard's body.

He defeated the bane of his existence, the man who chased him relentlessly for the past seven years.

He avenged his parents, who Voldemort set on a slow death, wanting them to feel the pain of losing their son. Only for them to die because the people who could have responded weren't able to help due to the Fidelius Wards.

His godfather, who died because he dodged Bellatrix's stunner, only to trip over the steps by the Veil of Death.

His surrogate grandfather, who died, not because of Draco Malfoy's retarded-looking… vomit-green Avada Kedavra, but from the drop that he received due to his jump backwards at his surprise, making him go over the ledge.

That one hot crimson-haired lady that moved in across the street from Grimmauld Place who he wasn't able to chat up because of this ridiculous war.

Harry swallowed thickly, the saliva seemingly increasing exponentially as he tried to settle any unrest he felt.

He glanced around, moving his eyes and tilting his head slightly, catching the still fighting people around him.

'_Why aren't they doing anything different?'_ he asked himself. He'd just offed the dark wanker, and no one pays attention. He frowned, clenching the Elder Wand tighter, remembering the treatment that he'd received from the 'Magicals' during his stay in their world.

'_Next thing you know… I'll be labeled a liar, saying that I took some bastard pureblood's fame away because __they __were the ones who killed him.'_

Shaking his head to shake those thoughts out of his mind, hoping to stem his anger before he started, he continued his introspection, deciding to ignore the wizards that were milling about around him, throwing curses at each other.

'_Why am I not feeling better? Why am I not happy about this?'_

He just made sure his godson would grow up in a world where the threat of a Dark Lord wasn't hovering over him like a hawk would do to a rabbit. He tried to smile at that thought.

And tried…

But nothing came. His face was imperturbable.

So he was immediately worried, because he'd never had good control over his emotions.

He tried moving his hands to check his face, only to find that they suddenly stopped halfway to his face.

'_What's going on?' _Harry asked himself, his worry increasing.

Was this a plan of Voldemort's?

This wasn't in any of the memories that he'd been able to siphon from 'Flight,' obtained from the magical shard and soul that were latched onto his forehead.

'_Until my 'premature' death, anyway.' _He corrected, before setting himself back on his path of worrying.

Looking around with his still unobstructed eyeballs, he took note of the fact that everyone else had stopped moving as well.

'_What is going on?'_ he yelled mentally, tired of being so still. It wasn't good to be so still either, doing so could have some dire ramifications, especially in a warzone.

Even more so if the wizards and witches that were throwing spells about didn't know the first thing about aiming…

Suddenly, a Shadow descended upon him at the same time that a wave of cold passed through him, causing him to let loose a scream of terror through his slightly parted lips at his inability to act at the seemingly familiar threat.

'_Hopefully this isn't a Dementor… It'd really suck to be offed just like that.'_ He moaned, rolling his eyes, hoping that this wasn't a Dementor, _'Oh please… don't let it be a Dementor!'_ he prayed, casting his eyes skyward, hoping against all reason that he was just dreaming about this.

He'd rather duel Riddle again than die to a Dementor's kiss. Dying by way of Voldemort would mean he'd go to the afterlife… a Dementor would just eat his soul.

"**You'll be glad to know, then. That I'm no dementor, Harry James Potter." **A deep and ethereal voice spoke out above him, silhouetted by the sun that shone down on them.

"What?" Harry asked out loud, startled, before realizing that he could move again. "Who are you?" he demanded, pointing the Elder Wand at the figure that was still hard to see.

"**Oh, Harry."** The figure chuckled, descending even lower, causing Harry to drop to his knees at the sight of the person in front of him.

"It can't be…" Harry muttered, sitting on his heels and letting the Elder Wand clatter out of his hand.

"**Oh yes, Harry."** The figure retorted, getting up from the seat of his silver **800 Switchback Assault 144 Polaris Snowmobile – Flying Edition.** (released a full, somewhat... okay definitely, fourteen years early)

"But… but… no!" Harry protested, staring at the heavily bearded old man in front of him.

"**I'm about ninety-nine percent sure that I am myself, Harry."** The wizened man replied as he stretched, the fluffy cloak he was wearing billowing in a non-existent wind, **"I'm sure that you know you're Harry, yes?"** he asked the teenaged boy in front of him.

"Well, yes. But-!" He tried to forge ahead, his mind unable to twist around the fact that he was in the presence of this person, only to be cut off once again.

"**What is it?"** the man asked, irritated, starting to get annoyed by the boy's reluctance to accept his identity.

"Merlin!" the boy muttered, not noticing the twitch of an eyebrow from the man before him, before his eyes lit up and he exclaimed, "You're Merlin!" Only to get smacked with the back of the man's hand, upside the head by the old man in front of him, "OW! What the hell was that for!" he demanded, clutching his hand to his newest 'injury,' only to quail under the sight of Elder's countenance.

The man stared frostily at the boy who was holding his head from the pain inflicted from his backhand. **"I'm not Merlin, boy. Do you see me wearing that ridiculous light blue robe with stars on it?"** he growled, causing Harry to shake his head rapidly in the negative. **"Now, take in my looks."** He ordered, making sure the boy did as he was told.

"But that's impossible!" Harry yelled out, the pain from the smack to the head subsiding, "There's no way!"

"**And Merlin himself coming to talk to you is less impossible?"** the man asked, his anger flaring, causing his red robe and cloak, edged in fluffy white, to billow out around him in his anger. His hair following the same path, the white beard lifting off of his chest a bit, revealing that he was a lot more rotund than he had first looked.

The words finally hitting home, Harry asked the red-clad man timidly, "Santa?"

"**Che…"** the now identified St. Nicolas scoffed, **"Who else would it be?"** he asked rhetorically, striking a heroic-looking pose and upon seeing Harry attempt to answer, he quickly amended, **"Don't answer that."**

Attempting to put most of his questions behind him, in order to ask the most important one, Harry got up, picking up the Elder Wand and holstering it in a wrist-holster on his right arm. "Why are you here?"

"**Why… to give you your present of course."** He replied nonchalantly, giving harry a thumbs up and an extremely bright smile that came close blinding Harry.

"What do you me-" Harry began before he caught himself, making Santa nod in satisfaction, "Right… Santa. Presents…" he trailed off, before he came to a conclusion, "But. It's May. The Second of, Nineteen-ninety-eight."

"**Don't you think I know that?"** Santa rolled his eyes, clenching his fists in visible consternation.

Cowed, Harry held up his hands in an attempt to stave off pain as he apologized, "Ahh… yeah. Sorry."

"**What's wrong with you, Harry."** Santa questioned, peering at him over a pair of half-moon glasses that suddenly appeared over his nose, making him look quite close to another heavily bearded individual that was quite close to Harry. **"You're quite slow today."**

Scratching his cheek and looking to the side at the suddenly familiar face gazing at him, Harry chuckled nervously, "Sorry. Just kind of overwhelmed at the moment. Give me a few minutes and I'll be right as rain."

"**Well, in any case, I'm here to give you your present. You've been a good boy all of these years, you know? I have fifteen years of presents that I haven't been able to give you."**

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"**You see, Harry," **he began, **"I've only ever been able to give you one present…"** he trailed off, before pulling out a pair of slightly worn stuffed animals, a stag and a doe, and handing them to Harry, who unconsciously shrank them and placed them in his pockets, **"To be honest, I've had trouble finding you, you know?"**

"Really?"

"**It bugged me so much, to be honest. No matter what I tried, I couldn't track you or find you. Then," **he shrugged, **"all of a sudden, almost an hour ago… in their time,"** he stated, pointing at the still frozen people that were around them, **"My sensors finally picked you up, and the only child that was on the good list, but hadn't received his presents…" **he continued, walking toward Harry, **"Will receive them, and I won't be bothered by the anomaly anymore."** He finished, placing his hands on the teen's shoulders.

"W-what? What do you mean anomaly?" Harry demanded, his eyes narrowing at Nicolas. He'd outgrown his childish wishes for 'normality,' a while back… but he just didn't want weird stuff happening without a warning or explanation.

Santa merely smiled a sad smile, **"You see, Harry… I have the power to do practically anything… in relation to the gifts and wishes of children who believe in me, or are so inherently good that they deserve them despite their lack of belief in me. Whose wishes could be changed… before they receive them."**

"But I didn't…" Harry protested, before he was stopped by the bearded man's hand.

"**True. But I haven't finished explaining. At younger ages, those gifts would be granted at the time of delivery. And, usually… when a two year old wishes for something… it'll usually be quite simple."**

The Raven-haired boy gulped in nervousness, before he whispered, "But it isn't, is it?"

The giver of presents nodded sagely, **"But you see, if I was able to reach you… I would have been able to do something for you at that time. But, like I said… something kept me from finding you… and at this point, I don't care, because this has been a long time coming."** He paused, giving the younger man a wink, **"Besides, the Missus and I are going to celebrate after this… But moving on. You see, the longer an unfulfilled wish goes… the more power it gains, not from me or you, but from Magic itself. And with the length of time that has passed since you were two…"**

Shocked, the green-eyed teen could only mutter, "Fifteen years' worth…"

"**Normally, the magic would be set upon its own course, taking care of the wish by itself. Usually with my help if it has problems, but due to it not being able to find an outlet… the magic has become easier to direct." **He explained, fishing out a golden wishbone and handing it to Harry.

Calculating what that could actually mean for him, Harry stared intently at Santa, "I can set the parameters of the wish?"

"**Yes. It'll happen as soon as you make the wish and break that wishbone. As soon as you do, I'll pull down the time-field and the Magic shall do its work. This has never happened before in my life… so I'm going to have to say that this… would be quite a unique experience."**

Harry grumbled at his words, "Great… another thing that's unique."

Santa merely shook his head, before flicking the boy on the forehead with his finger, **"Being unique is quite a gift, Harry. Embrace it. Better yet, try to live a life that is static, 'normal,' and you'll see that you don't want to live that kind of life. Not after the life you've lived." **He offered, trying to help the teen along some.

"I know," Harry groused, rubbing his forehead with his palm in an attempt to alleviate the stinging sensation, "I figured that out long ago. Just habits and information overload." He remarked, looking between the man before him, and the bone.

"**Come now, Nicolas."** A voice called out, as a portal appeared beside them and a woman in a red dress stepped out and latched onto his arm. **"Stop going around in circles, and just tell him."**

"**Fine, fine, my lovely Perenelle."** Nicolas stated, before he turned to the now narrowed eyes of Harry Potter, **"Forgive me, Harry Potter. I haven't been completely honest with you." **he stated, before giving a small shrug, **"to be honest, I kind of wanted some payback for the amount of time you've had me work over this problem relating to the anomaly related to you and your wishes."**

"So, who are you?" Harry questioned, "I remember hearing your names somewhere before…" he trailed off, before adding, "That is, if your names are what they really are."

Nodding, Nicolas stated, **"My name was Nikolai Klaus. Born at 927 at the Magical Kingdom of Morthassia. After tales of my gift-giving appeared, I was named Saint Nicolas, or Santa Claus as you now know. My wife, Perenelle,"** he gestured at the lady hanging on his arm, **"Born at 1333 in the Magical Community of Largess… my wife of over four hundred years." **He smiled softly at his wife, before he turned to Harry, **"And, as she was of 'Nobler Blood…' I took her last name when we married, making us Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel." **

Stunned and a tiny bit skeptical, Harry raised an eyebrow at that proclamation and immediately spoke his mind, "Albus said-" only to be cut off.

"**Bah, Albus said."** Perenelle interrupted with a huff, **"He said a lot of things. Didn't necessarily mean that he followed through with them."**

"What do you mean?"

Nicolas answered, **"That stone… did he give it to you?"**

"The resurrection stone? Yah, he did."

"**No, boy, the Philosopher's stone."**

"No, but I don't know what that has to do with anything."

"**You see…"** he sighed, rubbing both sides of his forehead with his hands, **"That Philospher's Stone… was supposed to be handed to you. It wasn't an actual Philospher's Stone. It was a way for us to send the Magic of your Wish-Gift to you. To do with it, as you saw fit. But… it is now apparent that he had a different plan." **

"Dumbledore? No! Impossible! That can't be right."

"**Oh, but it is right… you see, Harry… you're ignoring my words. He didn't give you the container… the stone. When it smashed, the energy was absorbed by the shade you were fighting."**

"What!"

"**It's the only reason Voldemort survived past 1991." **He explained matter-of-factly, his face set in a stony countenance.** "To be honest. That horcrux Ritual can indeed be cast multiple times, but the only one that works… would be the latest one. I repeat. Only the Latest Horcurx works. The only reason he survived was through the amount of magical Energy present in your wish."**

"So you're saying that… nobody would have died at all?"he asked, stunned, "None of this!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms out, gesturing at the carnage that was frozen around them, "Would have been that way?"

"**Yes. Now, if you're going to interrupt me about the Horcrux that existed in your head… the magic was already demolishing the connection between you and him. He died again, making the horcrux that existed in your head obsolete. And he knew it. That's why he was burning when you touched him."**

"But my mother's love?" Harry whispered.

Perenelle interjected, shaking her head, _**"Yes… she granted you some protection, but with the shard of Voldemort in your head… that protection was not really viable. The reason he was burning was because it was a physical manifestation of that connection being broken."**_

"No way…" he muttered, shaking his head in the negative.

"**Yes way." **Nicolas grinned, **"With the bond being partially there, and him leeching onto the magic…"**

"He maintained the connection, didn't he?"

"**Smart. Yes, he did. The whole bit, where he went past you? The magic itself tried to go inside you, but he was already part of it…"**

"So… he accidentally made another horcrux… or something like it."

"**Yeah. The only reason he was able to do that was."**

"_**Because the power of your wish. With the connection there, however faint it was… he was able to use a small part of the wish to do what he wanted, not knowing exactly what he did. Most likely, he just didn't want to die. It's just a good thing that he never figured out exactly what happened, nor what he had in his possession."**_ Perenelle interjected once again.

Thinking back, Harry could indeed see those things happening, but he thought of something that would make or break his belief in this new theory, "But what about the pains? My scar? If the Horcrux wouldn't work, then why did he affect me so?"

"**I didn't say that it wouldn't work, but you see…"**

"_**He wished that his Horcruxes would work… thereby, making all of them active. You see, Harry, while it is indeed true that only the Horcrux created at the latest time would work… when he died from the rebounding Avada Kedavra, which your mother caused due to her love for you, some of his own magic was implanted into you, and he created a horcrux for you, due to the fact that 'part of you,' "**_ she said, making quotation marks with her fingers, _**"Wanted your horcruxes to work, and enough of the magic must have deemed that you didn't have one..."**_

"So, his imprint of magic was the reason I could speak parseltongue? That's why… "

"_**Yes. And the pain was from the magical shard attempting to rejoin it's master."**_

"**Not only that… but that's the only reason you survived your venture in the Chamber of Secrets, as well as what made you more susceptible to Dementors." **

"Wait.. so I should've died?" he asked slowly, not wanting to believe it, only to receive nods in response to his question. Shaking his head ruefully, he continued, "So, getting past that… if that's truly what happened, then does that mean that during fourth year onwards…" Harry quieted, worried at the implications.

"_**Correct. The reason that the pains you received after fourth year are greater… was because of the fact that when magicals' emotions are heightened, and depending on how strong the emotion is, their magic tends to build itself up and attempt to merge with the rest of the magic. The effect increases the older a person is. So yes, your magic, knowing that Voldemort held magic that was bound to you, that was destined for you… tried to, for lack of a better term, leech it out of your scar, and vice versa… provided that he was experiencing extreme, note the **__**extreme**__**, emotions. Because technically… he was running on your magic. So when he was experiencing extreme emotion, the magic would attempt to reattach itself to its intended source and destination. I don't know why it wouldn't do that unless he was experiencing heightened emotions, but I've been alive for a half millennium at least, Nicolas for one himself, and we still haven't figured out why magic is and does and why."**_

Harry chuckled mirthlessly, shoulders slumping in resignation. "So that means… that the whole situation… would never have been so bad… if Dumbledore never interfered?"

"**Sad to say, Harry… but you are completely right."** Nicolas ceded, taking off his red hat and fiddling with the white edges.

"But wait… does that mean that Voldemort was in pain? I mean… I felt strongly about loads of stuff all the time…"

"_**We don't know at this point… we can only speculate." **_Perenelle answered, shrugging. _**"He may very well have been in pain constantly. I do remember how high emotions can run when your teens and I can guess that he was."**_

Harry chuckled at her answer and suddenly stopped. Something struck Harry that might debunk this whole idea that had wormed it's way inside his mind. "One second though, I died. I saw Dumbledore. I saw the Horcrux!" At his exclamation, both Nicolas and Perenelle laughed loudly, causing him to frown at their reaction.

"**Yes, you died. Yes, it was a Horcrux."**

"But-!" he protested their reactions, scratching his head in confusion.

"_**But, no! If there were three things that Dumbledore truly was a master of… they were transfiguration, legilimency and manipulating people."**_

"**I'd have to agree with Perenelle there. Based upon how you've lived, which of course, he orchestrated…"**

"Yeah… he told me himself. But still, he…" Harry protested.

"**Loved you like a grandchild?"** Nicolas finished, Harry agreeing, **"He may have, but despite his 'love for you,' he truly is manipulative, able to implant a 'scenario,' if you will inside your mind. Chances are, you never really died, considering the fact that not only are you the master of death… but it's impossible to Avada Kedavra yourself. He'd put the good of the many before the good of one. Too bad he wasn't in the position to offer himself."**

Stumped, Harry stared blankly at Nicolas, turning to Perenelle for support, _**"I'd have to agree. Even though he was a different person, Riddle Jr. was using your magic. The only reason that he was able to do what he did with your magic was the fact that he'd unintentionally created a Horcrux for you during that debacle in that graveyard. The only reason that he was able to use such magic was the fact that he contained a tiny shard of your soul, reinforced during that fight in the Ministry."**_

Harry's mouth dropped at the added information, "WHAT THE HELL!"

"**His possession of you really did a number on him. But with the unexpected addition of another tiny shard of your soul, which wasn't another 'horcrux,' but just increased the size of the one he already had in his possession, the magic became more… accessible to him. But with another shard of your soul inside of him…"**

Harry finished, understanding the situation, "The pains were larger past fifth year."

"**But we're getting side-tracked…"** Nicolas continued, **"That Horcrux… that you said you saw, the one that Dumbledore showed you… it was yours."**

Shocked, remembering the piece of crap that was there in his memory, Harry could only squeak out, "Mine?"

"_**No worries though, Harry."**_ Perenelle answered, _**"Once you became the master of death… once you were 'taken out,' there must have been some sort of latchkey or something that would make that vision of Dumbledore appear in a vision or something. Anyways, since you were 'killed,' your soul proceeded to re-solidify itself, as is the process that happens when someone dies. Which is why the Horcruxes only work once. They are created from killing another's soul, splitting it then merging that shard with their own then finally splitting it and shoving it somewhere. And, like I said. the reason that he had so many,"**_

"I get it, my wish…" Harry breathed out, slouching as he sat on the ground. Looking up at them, he asked, "So, what now?"

Nicolas and Perenelle looked at each other and back to him, **"Well, you could use it… which I suggest, mainly in the interest of finding out exactly what happens in regards to it."**

Harry chuckled, shaking his head at Nicolas' attitude, before something struck him and he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, _**"What is it, Harry?"**_ Perenelle asked, wondering exactly what he was thinking about.

"Before anything… I want to know about you…" he said, looking at them. "I mean, from what I gathered… you really were an alchemist and his wife, correct. But if you were… how did you find out about all of this stuff? Why do you guys sound different from everyone else? If it's a spell, can I learn it? Do you have any idea what being the Master of Death entails?"

Perenelle laughed, _**"I think Nicolas should tell it. It's an… interesting tale. Besides, it would help set straight most if any questions that you might want to ask us once you go over our conversation."**_

Nodding, Nicolas began, **"Well… to be honest, I'd have to say, this whole thing is partially my fault. You see, Harry, Perenelle and I did die."**

"Huh? I thought that…" Harry muttered, his mind going in circles at the admission.

"**Magic itself decided that what we were doing… giving gifts and wishes to those who were pure and in need… was a good thing. Thereby, at our times of death… Magic represented itself as an ethereal ball of light that showered the area in colorful light. It told us more through images and feelings and lights that it wished for us to continue our job of handing out presents to children. But most of all, it wanted us to keep a closer eye on you. Bewildered… we discussed this for a total of an... hmm… hour?"**

"_**Two hours."**_

"**Yes, two hours. We accepted. And, well… we got magic shoved in our bodies like nobody's business. So you see… that's why we get these cool echoes and reverbs and stuff when we speak."** He finished happily.

A question that Harry had put off for a while emerged from his lips, "What's with the snowmobile?"

"**Why not?"** Nicolas retorted, raising an eyebrow at the raven-haired child. **"I'd rather have a flying snowmobile with bottomless compartment rather than use a reindeer-pulled sleigh."**

"Right…" Harry nodded, his chin resting on the end of his hand as he thought it over, "I get what you mean… but how am I able to speak with you like this?"

"_**In reality…"**_ Perenelle answered, _**"We're speaking to each other in our own native languages… the only difference is, that you're hearing us speak in a more modern way. While we hear you speak in a dialect closer to our own. In other words… Magic."**_

Harry sighed at the answer before chuckling, "Heh… Magic." He snorted, before bursting out into full-blown laughter, quickly followed by Nicolas and Perenelle. After a few minutes of that, Harry wiped a tear from his eyes, "So…" he started, "what's next?" he asked, gesturing at the still frozen scene around them.

"**Well…" **Nicolas drawled out, taking a look at the frozen scene, **"I don't know about you. But I've waited for fifteen years for this wish to be granted."**

"_**The same for me."**_ Perenelle intoned, smiling as she latched onto her husband's arm. Both of them looking quite young, with the only discernable way to figure out their age being their pure, snow-white hair. As well as the length of her hair and Nicolas' beard.

Thinking deeply, Harry concentrated on the ground in front of him, trying to remember exactly what he wanted back then using the occlumency that he still had occasional problems with. He delved through the memories that he'd hidden away, not wanting to relive the experiences he'd gone through at the Dursleys. And then it came to him… Family. Not just any family. But his own. One that would treat him well and love him, and he would do the same to them. "Family." He whispered, looking up at them. "I wanted to be with a loving family." He repeated, swallowing to relieve the tension that built up in his throat.

"_**Is that it?"**_ Perenelle whispered, smiling at him, _**"You have many other parameters to set, you know?"**_

Nicolas agreed, pulling her in front of him and hugging her from behind, **"You have so many others to set. The way that your wish ended up… instead of receiving multiple wishes per year like everyone else would. They were held back and merged with the main one. Mainly because of the fact that you had a 'dark soul' in your forehead. One that prevented it from seeking you out. Paradox, I know. Being on both lists… but hey. You get to make an addendum for your wish. One per year since then."**

Harry smiled ruefully, looking back at the pair in front of him, sharing something that he wished he could one day have. _'I guess I have another one that I can add right off the bat.'_

"You really like just adding stuff for me, don't you?" Harry asked, "Every time I think I have it all figured out, you just dump another one on me."

"_**Excuse Nicolas here, Harry. Like he said, he's been waiting and he can't help but to mess around a bit now that the moment is close."**_ Perenelle apologized for her husband, clasping her hands over his.

"It's fine." Harry answered, smiling at them as he began his wish, taking the wishbone and breaking it, causing a floating orb of light to appear, floating in front of him.

"I wish I had a family."

He began, looking at the sky, the only thing clear that he could focus on. Meanwhile, the sphere started orbiting him, leaving streams of colorful lights in the air.

"That they loved me and that I could love them."

He continued, starting to tear up as he thought about all of the things that he wanted, still oblivious the growing number of lights and glowing ribbons surrounding him.

"That we would respect and care for each other."

His voice cracked, as the Magic inherent in his wish started glowing, pulsing with untold power.

"That I had siblings… even if it's just one. I don't care if it's a girl or boy…"

He went on, smiling through his tears, still staring at the sky as the magic started revolving around him, starting up a miniature tornado.

"I don't know my parents. And I never really knew them… so I wish I could meet them."

He paused, feeling the Magic swirl around him, ruffling his clothes and his hair.

"I…"

He choked, opening his eyes and looked straight at the pair who stood in front of him, who stood resolute in the storm that was created from the Magic present, smiling encouragingly at him.

"I wish that… I had parents… just like you two."

He whispered, causing both Perenelle and Nicolas to tear up at his admission. They themselves had wanted children for ages… but were never able to. Immortality had a price, after all. Even now, as much as they could gift and give to people... they couldn't have any at all.

"That they would love each other… and never leave me, my siblings or each other."

He gulped once again, smiling through his tears as he looked at the couple who stood before him.

"I wish that I could find love."

He added soon after thinking about that last wish some more.

"But that I would have to work on it myself if I really wanted it."

The Flamels smiled at his addition, the boy really was a good one, truly deserving of the wish he was finally receiving.

"That it would be possible for me to have a large family."

He sustained, trying to think of more things to add. Before suddenly smiling at an Idea that came into his head.

"That I wasn't the ruddy boy-who-lived."

Nicolas and Perenelle laughed at that last one, knowing how hard his life was.

"That… that…"

He paused, his eyebrows knitting themselves together in concentration as the removed his glasses, which were obstructing his view.

"That I don't need to use corrective eyewear."

He chuckled, deciding to be clear on that one.

"That horcruxes only work the way that they're supposed to."

He added, wanting to add something that was important, maybe not to him, but to others. Making sure that what Voldemort did couldn't be done again.

"I wa-"

He began, before the Magic started pulsing faster, expanding and then contracting. Making a light-show that could probably never be replicated again.

"What's going on? I had one more right?"

He asked worriedly, looking once again at the Flamels.

"**I think that it may have counted Voldemort's wish from your first year."**

"_**He did use that one, to make sure that his horcruxes worked."**_ Perenelle answered, _**"Don't worry, it was only one less wish, Harry. I'm sure you've gotten all of the ones you really wanted, correct?"**_

He merely nodded at her question, only to be told by Nicolas, **"No matter, though. It seems like you've gotten it in hand."**

"What do you mean?" he asked, before he received a pointing finger from Nicolas, indicating the Magic revolving around him, cocooning him in its multicolored embrace.

"**You're getting your wish, Harry." **He nodded promptly.

"_**Or in this case, wishes."**_ She replied cheekily.

"But I don't want to leave yet… I still want to talk to you!" Harry screamed, trying to find some way to halt the process. "I have so much to ask! I don't want to go yet! I don't want to say…" he shouted, reaching for them from within the vortex.

"_**Good-bye, Harry." **_Perenelle whispered, sniffling and wiping away her tears with a conjured Handkerchief while Nicolas rubbed his face with his long sleeve. _**"I wish I had a son just like you."**_

Embracing his wife closer to him, Nicolas whispered, **"I do too."** Before they vanished in a burst of rainbow light, the forgotten snowmobile disintegrating into a bunch of snowflake shapes as the stasis field dropped, the battle continuing.

It was only when the battle was winding down that someone noticed the downed form of Voldemort and the disappearance of their savior.

That evening, wizards and witches all over Britan as well as the rest of the Magical world, raised their glasses up and toasted to Harry Potter, the Man-who-Conquered.

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**- Prologue: End** -

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**- Post-Chapter Author's Note: -**

Something that wouldn't stop bothering me. I was going to go and make it all simple. In other words, a one-shot. But once I was halfway through it, I found that I have to perfect foundation for a story that is now brewing in my head. It's funny because I was planning a different type of story when I sat down and started typing this out, but it took a life of its own.

For those who are reading both my stories and question my use of Santa, or Santa lookalikes in my stories…

"**Why the hell not?"**

Not only can I think of some of the most ridiculous shit, but I can elaborate it, thereby making my term paper an A.

Wait a sec…

Actually, yeah. I Elaborate and Elaborate until the BS takes a life of its own, *cue wink* and then it seems like a completely plausible idea that sounds like it's based in 'fact.' Where in fact, it was born from a half-assed minute or two of sitting down and trying to find something to add to my story.

It's how my stories start out anyways. Loads of them I won't post, mainly because I have standards and some of them are too ridiculous or I may end up having to write whole stories out of them.

Just Kidding.(Umm... Kind of?)

Anyways, I'm trying to get my muse to sit with me and write my main story, but I've ended up starting a Harry Potter story, one that I've been thinking about for most of the break. Loads of situations, and I don't even know if I'm going to add half of them.

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For those confused about the conversation about Voldie and the Horcuxes in this chapter? (LOL, a band called: **Voldie and the Horcruxes**)

Here it is in easier terms:

1. The Prologue universe, is pretty much Canon. One difference, if not the biggest is the presence of Super!Claus Flamel.

2. Harry is a good boy. Always has, most probably always will be.

3. Voldemort in forehead makes Harry both a Good and Bad Boy. So he appears on both the good and bad list of Super!Claus.

4. Voldemort vamps on Harry's magic through the link in the scar throughout his life. Which is a horcrux until the end of the first year, when He killed Quirrel. When Voldie passed through Harry, he took the soul shard that was there, but left a connection, siphoning his magic to use as his own.

5. The philosopher's stone was actually not one. It was the accumulation of fifteen years' worth of magic-wish for Harry in condensed physical form.

6. Only the most recently created Horcrux works if person has more than one. Older ones are rendered obsolete. They're cut off from the person who created them. They, however take on a life of their own. The only viable horcrux should have been the one in Harry's head.

7. HOWEVER: Voldie absorbed some of the magic from the 'stone,' and accessed it through his connection with Harry, who was the only one who should have gotten it. The desire for his horcruxes to work as he envisioned them caused them to actually work, taking up one of the wishes contained in the stone. Therefore the super!bad stuff happening past fourth year.

8. Meaning: if Dumbledore wasn't such a dickhead (at least in that dimension), then Voldie would never have come back.

9. Voldemort would not have been able to cast much magic as he was using Harry's all along through the scar. It's why Harry was a dick in 5th-year onwards. The siphoning of his magic left him irritable and angsty. If this means that Harry is like a magical version of Naruto (in relation to the amount of energy they have and use), then so be it.

They may be out of a specific order, but they do the job. I will most likely elaborate on these, especially if people ask for it. If enough ask, I may end up answering them at the end of chapters instead of in them.

* * *

Now that I think of it, it would have been more awesome to write that the mirror was sent to the school by the Flamels, containing their stone. And Dumbledore couldn't get it out himself. Think about it :P I so could have used this idea... *pouts*

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**Any questions and/or Concerns, please leave a review... or a p.m.**

**Especially about inconsistencies... Those suck, and I'll do my best to clear them up as soon as possible.  
**

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**Anyways, thanks for reading.**

**Until next time,**

**Margulide**


	2. Meet The Parents

**Disclaimer: I'm all for Harry/Hermione pairings. Heck, I'm more for Harry/Other!Female Pairings. I did see the potential that a Harry/Ginny pairing had. However, I don't believe I would be writing one anytime soon, nor have I written one. Consequently, I'm not J.K. Rowling. So I don't own Harry Potter, nor did I create it/him(or her in alternate universes). **

**So in the case that I do write a Harry/Ginny Fanfiction, I have this: **

**Plan B!: **

**Disclaimer the Second: I'm Male. I live in Alaska. I'm not blonde… therefore: I'm not J.K. Rowling (The statement is Very Much True). Which means that I did not create nor own the Harry Potter Franchise. The only things Harry Potter that I own are various copies of the books 1 through seven. So there. **

******"Fifteen Years' Worth" is a non-profit based 'Fanfic.' Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling and whoever else she is sharing the profits with. Please support the official release.**  


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_'Thoughts'_

"**Conversations." /** "Conversations." / **_"Conversations."_**

**~Magic~ **

**-Death-  
**

Spells / Spell Names

Posted: Friday, March 4, 2011

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**Fifteen Years' Worth**

**Chapter 1**

**~Meet the Parents~**

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**- Chapter 1: Start –**

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**May 2, 1998 - Hogwarts Grounds, Scotland  
**

"**_Good-bye, Harry." _**Perenelle whispered, sniffling and wiping away her tears with a conjured Handkerchief while Nicolas rubbed his face with his long sleeve. **_"I wish I had a son just like you."_**

Embracing his wife closer to him, Nicolas whispered, **"I do too."** Before they vanished in a burst of rainbow light, the forgotten snowmobile disintegrating into a bunch of snowflake shapes as the stasis field dropped, the battle continuing.

* * *

**Unknown Time - Unknown Place**

From Harry's perspective, however, after trying to halt the magical juggernaut that was his wish to be able to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Claus, he was unable to do anything but stand there, watching the wishbone float in front of him, it's two broken pieces revolving in place, seemingly trying to guide him to whatever destination he would arrive at. 'Bloody Hell' he thought to himself, looking down, 'I'm not even moving.' Deciding to wait for a bit, he tried organizing his thoughts while meditating. Then, after an indeterminate amount of time, he moved his head around, trying to look through the cocoon that was surrounding him.

Unable to see through it, he decided to see what would happen if he disrupted it. Fumbling around in his pockets, he found a galleon and eyeing both it and the wall, he slowly lobbed it in front of him, hurriedly turning around and crouching to defend himself from any sort of unstable reaction. Hearing the sound of a galleon landing on a marble floor, he slowly turned around, only to be surprised at what he saw.

"Mum? Dad? Sirius?" he asked reflexively, knowing just who the three were. And how couldn't he, especially after seeing his parents ghostly forms in his fourth year and in the mirror during the first year. Not to forget the jolly old dog that he'd met in his third year. "What are you doing here?" he mumbled, slowly getting up. "Is this where I'm supposed to go?" he asked, taking in his surroundings. He was in a huge cathedral-like building with statues and glass windows. The walls were a cream-colored marble and the floor bore an obsidian-colored lining, framing a white-colored marble in a checkerboard pattern that surrounded images that were inlaid in some sort of sequence.

"Silly Harry," Lilly smiled, moving forward to give him a hug, where he unconsciously froze for a half-second upon receiving it. "What's wrong, Harry?" she asked, pulling back to look at her son with worried eyes.

James, seeing it happen as well, looked concerned, "Yeah, son? What is it?"

Sirius, seeing similar reactions whenever Hermione or anyone else would hug him, added, "Yeah, Harry? I was never able to find out about that. With everything happening whenever you were there, I was never able to ask you."

Finding himself caught, he blushed embarrassingly, "Sorry… it's…" he began, trying to find the words to describe exactly why that happened, "It's just that… don't you know?"

Instantly getting what he was asking about, but not knowing what he was asking about, Lily smiled softly at her son, pasting a small kiss on his cheek, "No, sweetie… not really."

"But I thought that when people die, they'll be able to watch over the dead? Is that not true?" Harry asked, both hearing and seeing that particular idea multiple times in both the Muggle and the Wizarding world.

"Sadly, it isn't, son." James answered, looking apologetic. "At least not in our case."

"What?" Harry exclaimed, "even stuff in the afterlife is weird just because I'm involved?"

Laughing, Sirius answered him this time, "It does seem like that, doesn't it, Pup?"

Sighing and deciding to accept it, Harry grinned lightly, "I guess it does… but do you know why?"

"Actually I do." Lily spoke happily, happy that she was able to teach her child something, "It's because of the Avada Kedavra."

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, interested.

"Well you see, hmm, how do I explain this to you, Harry?" She asked herself, before she clapped her hands together in excitement and conjured up several seats with a wave of her hand, and a following pulse of magic sat the males down. Feats that stunned Harry with the ease by which she pulled them off "The Avada Kedavra is not a killing curse." She said with a serious tone, one that stopped Harry from laughing at the absurdity of the statement, enhanced by his shock at the sight of high-level wandless magic.

Sirius, however, was not so suppressed "It's not?" Sirius interjected, a severely confused countenance overtaking his face, the look bringing smiles to his friends' and his godson's faces, "I'm pretty sure it's complete, Lily. I mean, I died, right?" he asked, remembering the green light that had hit his chest just before his body fell through the veil two years ago as well as the description of his best friends' deaths when he'd met them here which was only supported by Harry's recollection of the memories he received from the Dementors when he stayed at 12 Grimmauld Dlace. "We all did."

"In a way, yes, Sirius." Lily replied, "But you never really researched about stuff like this anyways, am I right?"

Pouting at the jab and both James' and Harry's accompanying laughter, Sirius huffed and looked away, muttering, "Right."

Giving him an apologetic smile, Lily continued, "Harry, have you ever heard the word Abracadabra. Right?"

Blinking at the seeming randomness of her question, he nodded slowly, "Yeah… I have. What about it."

"Do you remember the third word in the sequence?" she prodded, giving him an encouraging smile.

"Alakazam?" he asked, trying to see where this was going, but smiling back at her.

"Exactly." James interposed, smiling proudly at Harry, thinking that he'd gotten it because of the smile he was giving his Lils.

"Huh?" Harry said, suddenly feeling incredibly lost and looking the part, making Lily swat James on the arm as she shook her head at his actions.

Seeing that he'd confused his son more, James gave him an apologetic grin, "Heh, sorry son, I thought you got it." He chuckled nervously, moving a little ways away from his wife on the love-seat she'd conjured for them and gestured for her to take the proverbial floor once again. She, however, wasn't all too pleased at his interruption of her first lesson to her son in sixteen years. "I'll just stay here." He proclaimed, before leaning forward and pulling Sirius' chair closer to him, "And we're not interrupting." He added, Sirius nodding frantically, not wanting to risk her anger.

After a few moments of letting them stew in fear, she acknowledged them with a short wave before turning back to her son who looked like he was focused on trying to work on the clues she'd given. "Harry." She said, "The Avada Kedavra was created because a particularly vengeful witch heard the casting of the Abracadabra spell when a healer used it around the sixth century AD and modified it to suit her uses. Soon after, everyone Europe started using it."

"Are you saying that because of some mad witch, a spell like that was created?" he finished, shocked and incredulous at the incoming information. Turning to his mother, his eyes asked that it wasn't true, but if her sad smile was any indication… he sighed before he asked, "What's the Abracadabra spell do anyways?"

His question brought a smile to Lily's face. Her son was so inquisitive. He must've been a great student, just like her so she eagerly answered him, an action that she'd always wanted to give to her son, "Correct, Harry. The original spell called Abracadabra is a healing spell that has origins in Aramaic… I'm not too sure exactly when it came about, but I have enough information on it to at least tell you how it would work." She rambled, trying to hide the discomfort about fact that she didn't have all of the facts on the spell in question. Oh how he must be so disappointed that his mother didn't have all the answers.

Ignoring her slight discomfort and giving her a reassuring grin, he asked her "How does it work, Mum?"

Seeing that he wasn't disappointed in the least, she inwardly smiled, happy that he was a polite boy. Even though she wasn't supposed to take care of him, at least Petunia raised him properly, but she'd have to ask him why he wore such worn down clothes… hopefully it was a phase that he was just going through. Lily was afraid her sister had abused him but it seems that she was merely strict. Yes, her sister couldn't be so cold-hearted as to punish a child for something out of their power, "Ahh, you see, the original spell, the Abracadabra, when cast, uses the target's own cells to heal any defects that they may receive. The moment it hits, the person is rendered in stasis to remove the pain. The fact that they look like they're dead is merely a side effect. A weird one, but still…" she trailed off, tapping her cheek with an index finger before she realized she'd left her son waiting for her to finish. "Anyways, Harry, that's what happens when one would use the spell on a person. If used on an object, it would give the person wielding the object better health and rejuvenation."

"So how does the Alakazam fit into this?" Harry asked.

"The Alakazam finishes the effect of the Abracadabra. It removes the pseudo-stasis that the target is placed in but it doesn't remove the residual effects of the Abracadabra. Namely, the healing that the person undertakes." She said, pausing to see if Harry had any questions.

"Then…" Harry said, taking advantage of the pause despite being amazed at the information, "Then there is a spell like Alakazam, that would act like a Finite towards the Avada Kedavra, right?" he asked, receiving nods from both Lily and James while Sirius looked as dumbfounded as Harry had been, "But how does that relate to why you're here?" he asked, despite wanting to know how to counter the effects of the Avada Kedavra. He'd rather hear about how they were than some spell after all.

"Ahh, you see Harry," James interrupted from his side of the love-seat towards his son's chair in front of them despite the pout and small glare that Lily was shooting him. Hey, he had to teach his son something too, right? He'd have to show Harry that his old man… not that he wasn't old… that he was pretty damn knowledgeable himself. "The spell, as it originally is cast, removes the person's soul and conscious from the body as some sort of anesthetic."

Harry's eyes widened in surprise, "So this is where you guys go when you've been hit by it?"

"Ahh, no." James answered with a laugh, "This is some sort of meeting place where we were sent to meet you. But we'll get to that later son. Getting back to topic, the Abracadabra, in addition to putting the body in pseudo-stasis, removes the soul from the body, in essence killing them despite the fact that it heals the person. The thing is, the souls arrive in some sort of limbo when hit by it and only disappear whenever the person who cast the spell..."

"Dies, right?" Sirius asked as he inserted himself back into the conversation.

"In some cases, yes." Lily said, shaking her head, "But it's only when the magic powering of the Abracadabra expires. That could mean… years, centuries even if the person who cast the spell was sufficiently power. And the magic of a person doesn't dispel that quickly after death, so unless something happened…"

Shock, anger and happiness all flitted through Harry's eyes when he realized exactly why his parents might escape, "Riddle's magic…" he muttered, gaining their attention, "His magic was bound to mine. He was siphoning my magic for years and I didn't know," he muttered and he wondered, thinking of another reason why they would appear here, when Sirius was hit with Bellatrix's spell as well. "But no… that's not right." He continued, his mind focused on chasing the train of thought like a hawk diving towards a hare, with all the focus associated with such a task. "My wish…" he muttered, remembering the exact words and uttering them unknowingly, "I don't know my parents. And I never really knew them… so I wish I could meet them." Looking up at the three, who'd gotten in front of him in their concern, he smiled happily, before initiating a hug as his eyes turned watery, "My wish came true… my fifth wish came true."

Sensing a long story behind his words, the three adults merely let him let out his emotions, hugging him back. There was time to talk about such stuff later after all. True, they wished they could see their son, but not this soon. They wanted him to live a full life. It seemed that he both did and didn't at the same time. They'd ask him later. They'll just bask in the feeling of family for the moment.

'I'm here… with my parents… all three of them. I'm so going to milk this experience for all it's worth if the other wishes are going to kick in eventually.' Harry thought as he hugged them tighter before pulling away from the hug, asking, "So what is there to do around here?"

**~This is where you'll stay, Harry Potter, until we find a sufficient world for you~** a voice called out, accompanying a burst of light that originated above them, blinding them to the figure that slowly floated down towards them. At this instant, Harry leapt away from his parents and landed in a crouch despite being blinded by the burst of light.

"Who are you?" Harry asked, the elder wand materializing in his fingers, ready to cast the spell as he rapidly blinked away the spots in his eyes.

**~Why, did Nicolas not tell you?~ **the voice asked as it moved closer, making Harry tense, ready to leap away once again at the first sign of aggression or ill intent, **~Did he not describe how I appeared?~**

"Who?" He was about to say before the word caught in his throat and his wand clattered to the floor as his vision cleared and he looked upon the floating orb in front of him. "Magic…"

**~Yes, Harry~** the voice, which carried a multitude of tones, octaves and echoes, acknowledged, **~I am Magic~**

* * *

**Christmas Day - Flamel Manor, Somewhere in Canada**

Nicolas woke up with a start, his body tense and his hands ready to throw out the first spell which came to mind. Only to be faced with the darkness that accompanied night, the cool winter air breezing through the air, the runic wards adjusting the temperature to be low enough to make him happy, but warm enough not to be uncomfortable. Sighing, he carefully lowered himself back to his and his 'Nelle's bed. Closing his eyes, he tried to remember the dream once again, only to hear the words, without images to accompany them. And it shouldn't have been possible to miss them. He'd been alive for several hundred years! He'd mastered occlumency to a level that he could pull his dreams into focus, allowing him to review them and gain insight into ideas and thoughts about things that he wouldn't come up with otherwise. 'Heck,' he grumbled, shifting in the bed to face his wife of five hundred years. 'I wouldn't have ever asked my 'Nelle to join me when I finished the 'philosopher's' stone.' He chuckled at that, 'Actually, I wouldn't have ever gotten the idea or the process to create the stone in the first place.'

His thoughts wandered to the past, warmly remembering the days he'd spent as the wizard, Homnibus, a time before he'd completed the stone and wed his beloved wife before he winced as a particularly horrible memory hit him. 'The day when she threatened to leave me.' He thought, eyeing his wife's sleeping form. He'd asked her to stay with him instead of accepting the offer of marriage from the prince of an allied country "I'll only stay if you could give me the one thing I wanted most." She'd declared, only to burst into happy tears when he'd knelt at her feet and asked for her hand in marriage. Was it unorthodox? Yes, it was… especially so at the time, but it didn't matter. She was a witch, and he was a wizard and her parents were going to keep her locked away forever. So she didn't have any problems with the Stone's side effects: To live forever, but be unable to have children themselves other than the one child they would have when they were still in their eighties. He smiled sadly, remembering their son. Richard Flamel. A particularly curious boy that had taken up his mother's maiden name, not to spite Nicolas for not marrying her, but as a way to rise through society. Sadly, he'd only reached the rank of consul, and ruled as the Duke of Gaeta for a year before he was killed by an assassin sent by a acutely vengeful cousin. True, the boy was a squib, to use the modern term, but he was their son nonetheless. His fond smile turned to a grimace as he remembered the brutality that Perenelle had gone and visited upon that 'vengeful cousin.' She loved Richard and wanted another child, and told him so… but by that time, it was too late.

Not only were too old, at the ages of 184 and 165, but they'd taken constant solutions of the 'Solution.' It was true that they might have been able to stop taking the potion, but his tests on those on the verge of death through old age showed that once they'd stopped taking the Solution, they would revert back to the ages they were supposed to be. And in that case, he wasn't too sure that it would be a good idea to do so. They weren't particularly powerful wizards, the Flamels… their main powers lay in alchemy and medicine and knowledge-based magic. Sure, they were able to learn as much as they wanted, but he wasn't sure whether or not they had enough magical power to still be alive when they had already been taking the Solution for forty years. The Stone's Solution allowed them to change their ages to any that they wished… and allowed them to change their bodies to whatever they wished… not only in terms of humans, but they were able to change their animagus forms into whatever they wished provided they weren't too magical. They weren't going to mess with powers that were out of their league. They were the careful sort after all if the innumerable wards surrounding their homes were any indication. He sighed, turning away from his wife to face the opposite wall…

It all came down to the same thing... they wanted children. They could be at the prime of their lives, their bodies taking the form of the most 'exotic,' as 'Nelle called it, forms and allowing their stamina and his virility to satiate the most depraved… His mouth formed into a lewd smile, depraved indeed. Quickly shaking his head mentally, he continued his assessment of their lives. Getting back on track, their bodies could be at the peak ages of sexual and child-bearing ages… but not matter what they did, no matter what they tried… they couldn't have another child. Did they sometimes talk about ending it all? Yes… it seemed that it happened every decade or so. But they focused on taking in strays or needy children that needed help and wouldn't betray or try to get back at them. Magic or no… a child was a child. And through them, they'd gotten-

"Nick?" Perenelle interrupted his thoughts, her soft voice cutting through the silence that pervaded the room, "Is something the matter?"

Turning around slowly, he gave her a slow smile, "No… not really." He whispered, his attention focused on her face. Her original form… the beautiful, olive-skinned, brunette that had stolen his heart ever since he'd been a mere court wizard in the times that Magic was known in some areas and somewhat accepted provided they 'serve their masters.'

Shaking her head in mock exasperation, she smiled at him, "Don't lie, Nicolas." She scolded playfully, reaching up to brush a tear he didn't know he had away from his eye, "What's wrong?"

Seeing her care so much for him, despite the length of time they'd been together, he wet his dry lips in an attempt to focus his attention away from the pain that eclipsed his heart.

"Nicky…" she pleaded, moving closer, only to be the trigger that set him to tears.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, closing his eyes.

Perenelle merely smiled at that, 'You've been thinking too much again,' she mentally noted, before she leaned forward and kissed his tears away. She brushed her hands through his red hair, a deep crimson that had caught her eye and fancy since the first time she'd seen it. Did she regret falling in love with such a loving, dashing man? Putting her arms around him to pull him into a soft embrace, she whispered in his ear, "Don't be."

At that, he let out a small, bitter laugh, "Look at me, 'Nelle." He whispered back, "Why wouldn't I be? I'm in bed with the most gorgeous, loving woman that had ever lived. The one that I'm living with for all eternity…" he paused, opening his eyes to look into her sapphire orbs with his dark green in the moonlit room, "And I can't give her what she wants."

Shaking her head ruefully at him, Perenelle merely smiled and pulled him into a kiss that he tried to resist, only for her to forcefully push against him. After a few heated minutes, she pulled back with the smile on her face wider than before, "You've given me everything that I want…" she stated simply.

"No, I-." he protested, only to be silenced by a finger to his lips.

"Yes, you have." She whispered, placing a light kiss on his lips, "Do I sometimes wish that we could have another child?" she asked, and seeing him stare at her, focused and alert, immediately pointed at his previous thoughts, "Yes." At that word, his eyes, closed in defeat, "But when I look at you, Nicky," she continued, "I don't need one." Blinking for a few seconds, realizing exactly what was said, his face started morphing into a scowl only to be stopped by her laughter. "But seriously, Nicky?" she chuckled, "I don't dwell on it too much… We've already had Richard and I have you with me for eternity." She whispered, her eyes tearing up at her admission. "And I love you so much… stop putting yourself down over something like this."

Swallowing thickly, he hugged her back, before deeply breathing in her scent. "I love you too, Perenelle." He stated, before pulling back from the hug and giving her a deep kiss. Exiting it a few minutes later, he smiled at her, "so much… thank you."

With the sweetness of the moment and the kisses getting her all 'hot and bothered,' she mentally smirked before whispering in his ear, "I know a certain way you could thank me…"

Mentally shaking his head at his wife's insatiableness, he grinned and whispered back, "Oh? Does Nelle want something from her Nick?" he teased, nibbling on her ear.

Shivering at the feeling of his breath on her ear as well as the stimulation he was providing, she moaned, "Oh, Nicky… give me your present."

His mind halted for a moment, suddenly remembering the date, before his smile widened, "Oh, was Mrs. Flamel naughty this year?" he mocked, and seeing her nod sultrily at him, taking a lick of a long object's curved end, so he did the only thing he could do at the moment… he pounced. Thank the gods, merlin, death, hell… thank Santa. Perenelle had a fetish for acting out scenes or events and he so loved acting them out… and his thoughts were interrupted as she groped a specific part of his body that was already filled with blood. Looking down and seeing her lick his candy cane, he threw the covers to the side and proceeded to ravish her mouth, tasting the cinnamon and vanilla from the piece of candy still in her mouth.

Pulling back reluctantly, he wandlessly divested himself of his clothes, finally getting himself out of them. Clothes were truly annoying things… especially whenever she got 'frisky.' Looking back at her, he grinned widely, quickly transfiguring his nightcap into a red cap with white edges and placed it on his head at the same time he conjured a ribbon to wrap around his crotchal region. "Oh, I've got something for you, Mrs. Flamel!" he proclaimed, quickly earning him a wide smile and the sight of her fondling herself through her red and white nightgown.

"Is that present for me?" she throatily asked stretching in that specific way that would always make Nicolas' throat run dry. Currently unable to reply due to the dryness that was ailing his throat, he nodded somewhat meekly, making her giggle and motion for him to move closer to her. Seeing 'that' particular light in her eyes, he discreetly (as much as he could anyways considering her perception and deductive skills) sent a Patronus to tell Laney, their house-elf, that they would need food for at least the next day.

And when he was forcefully pulled by the ribbon that lay across his… present, he couldn't help but wonder how in the world a low-class servant like him, even though he was a wizard, ended up with a princess, the youngest daughter of his king… but when he looked in her eyes, shining with love and happiness that even through all this time, he still felt he didn't deserve… he'd do all he could to make her happy. So, with gusto and effort that he had never imagined he could give… surpassing all of their previous experiences together, he conveyed to her exactly what he felt in that first moment… the effect carrying over onto the next few days. And when all was said and done… when she was filled with him and the product of their almost week-long bonding… thoroughly sated like she hadn't been before… there were no need for words to be said. For the first time, she'd been the one carried by his passions and she enjoyed it, relishing the fact that he'd been able to sate her needs without any sort of stamina potions and surpassing their previous dalliances even counting the control they had over the pseudo-metamorphmagical abilities gained from their Stone.

He loved her and was completely devoted to her, that was all there was to it. She loved him back… and returned that devotion with equal force. 'Life is perfect.' She thought to herself when all was said and done, falling into a deep sleep that lasted a day and a half… and with not only charms and potions that would allow couples to have their escapades for several days in a row without discomfort or side-effects... but their own bodies' abilities… why wouldn't she be tired?

* * *

**Time Unknown - Magic's Antechamber**

After fainting once during the initial meeting, then a second time once he was woken up, Harry woke up once again to see the orb floating in front of him causing him to yelp and fall off the bed that he was apparently situated on, "What are you doing?"

**~Waiting~**

"On what?"

**~Those who will be your family~**

Remembering his wish… or correctly, his wishes, he sighed before setting himself on the bed once more, "Can it be stopped? I wouldn't mind staying here with my parents and Sirius."

**~Do you seriously want me to answer that, Harry?~**

The knowledge that a spell cannot be called back unless it was created that way flashed in his mind, making him slump in defeat. "I see. Where are my parents? Sirius?"

**~They're reviewing your life, Harry. They'll be done in a moment. Be prepared~**

"Be prepared for what?" he asked, nonplussed, only to grasp the reason for the statement when he heard a feminine sob accompanied by distinctly male sniffles before he was tackled to the ground by a wailing redhead.

"Oh, baby…. I'm so sorry." His mom cried into his shoulder while his dad and Sirius knelt beside him. "So sorry you had to live like that."

"I didn't know, son… that you went through all of that." James whispered, his face shining with tears while Sirius silently knelt by his friend.

"It's fine." He whispered back, unable to resist tearing up himself. Dammit, he was a man now, why the hell was he crying this much? "You saw everything, huh?" Feeling the nod that his mother gave, as well as seeing the affirmations from the two kneeling elder men, he gave them a small chuckle, "What are you sorry for? It wasn't your fault. It all comes down to one person's fault, you must know this… You're not to blame." He rambled, trying to tell them to stop.

"We know," Lily whispered, "but it's so hard, seeing you have to go through that, Harry." With nods supporting her from the men who were brothers in all but blood. She was more eloquent, especially in situations like this after all, which was why she was the only one talking.

"If anything," Harry smiled, patting his mother on the back, "I'm somewhat glad I went through it."

"What?" James yelled, jumping away, shocked, pointing a shaking finger at his son, "No child of mine is a masochist, you hear me?"

The statement was just too ridiculous that Harry couldn't resist replying, "And what if I am?" while hiding his face in his mother's hair and trying to stop himself from laughing, which the stunned Lily felt when his chest started vibrating from the suppressed laughs.

"I-I…" James said, trying to find an answer, only to be caught off-guard by the combined laughter of his wife and son, the former pulling the latter up into a standing position.

"That was a joke, dad." Harry smiled, having it grow wider when Sirius burst out laughing, slamming James on the back with a fist while he howled in mirth.

"He's gotten you prongs!" he wheezed, unable to take in as much air as he needed, "You totally set yourself up for that!"

Lily couldn't resist a laugh herself, 'If only we could stay like this.' She thought to herself, glancing at the orb, which glowed a bit, making her feel reassured.

**_~And you might be able to…~_** It whispered, **_~You'll find out soon enough~_**

"But seriously, dad." Harry said, "If I didn't live through times like that… I don't think I would have been able to survive. As much as I… dislike Dumbledore now… his game plan worked." He ceded, giving a shrug before a familiar lopsided grin formed on his face, "But that doesn't mean I'm going to follow along with anything like that if I ever hear or sense of it. Count on it."

James nodded, "Good. My son is his own man, am I right?"

Nodding resolutely, immensely pleasing his father, Harry replied, "Right." Feeling loads better, he turned towards the orb, he asked a question that had been bugging him since its initial appearance, "Nicolas told me you spoke to him and his wife in images and feelings? How or why are you talking to us in this way?"

**~Understand that Nicolas has lived for more than a millennium. Words could and would be taken apart within moments by him. The way to reach him would be through his heart moreso than his mind. The same went with his wife. As for why I speak to you? Do you wish for me to convey my messages in the same method?~**

Quickly shaking his head, he agreed, "No, you're right… it would be pretty hard to have a conversation like that. Thank you."

**~There is no need to thank me. Instead, I apologize for the way my wielders have treated you. Thank you for setting things straight~**

Feeling particularly adventurous, Harry extended his arm forward despite the fact that Magic was a floating ball, "It's alright… even?" he asked, tilting his head to the side in a fashion that reminded the three adults of the way James would run his hands through his hair. It looked like Harry had his own way of getting his hair all messy. Suppressing a superior smirk, James reached an arm around Lily, who leaned into him. If the wishes his son made were any indication… he'd be able to reel his woman in with that particular technique. Sure, he was more partial to running a hand through his hair, but they both achieved the same results. Looking at his wife's knowing face, he smiled back at her before placing a peck on her lips. Well, hopefully, his son finds and keeps his. Suddenly, their attention was brought back to Harry, whose right forearm was encased in magic's essence.

**~Even~** Magic seemed to say with an invisible smirk as it retreated from the boy's arm. **~More than you know. Now, do you wish to see them?~**

Looking back to his parents, who were giving him encouraging nods and smiles, to Sirius, who was giving him a wide grin and two thumbs up, Harry turned back to the floating ball of Magic. "Sure."

The orb bobbed in the air, seeming to nod, before they were encased in cocoons of magic that were identical to the ones that had brought Harry to the area where he met his parents. Only for them to appear in what looked to be another wing of the same building, setting them down in front of a couple that looked both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. The man stood at both Harry and James' height, with crimson-colored hair that had the majority tied back into a ponytail that went between his shoulder blades with his bangs falling to the sides of his face, framing the green eyes that rivaled the colorful intensity which both Harry's and Lily's eyes bore. He was accompanied by a tall, brunette witch with blue eyes, her height reaching ear, with her hair in a long braid that fell to the small of her back. Both were dressed in fine clothing, richer than the standards by which the Purebloods dressed themselves in.

At their appearance, the man nervously chuckled, taking a step forward and offering a hand towards the young boy, which was quickly accepted with a firm grip. 'So, this is the boy that would be our future son as long as we accept the still unknown conditions.' He thought to himself with a grin as he spoke, "Hi… I'm Nicolas Flamel and this," he said, gesturing at his wife, who was peering intently at the boy with a smile tugging on the corners of her lips, he grinned, "is my wife, Perenelle."

"Harry Potter." Harry said as, the wish he made about having parents just like the Flamels

Receiving stunned looks from the four people in front of them, Perenelle gave them an comforting smile and moved to stand beside their husband. "I'm sorry if we seem a bit overdressed… we weren't quite sure on whether or not to appear in just our standard robes or, as Nick calls them, 'Those Fancy Clothes that we don't need.'" Her statement making them laugh and relax. "So," she said slowly, turning to the orb, "How do we do this? I'm fairly sure he won't be fitting in my womb, especially if he's not done with puberty."

A barking laugh was her answer, coming from the long-haired man that had both an aristocratic and roguish air around him, "I like them. They seem like good people, don't you agree, James?" he asked, before waving at the couple, "I'm Sirius Black, by the way."

A nod was given by the man who looked almost identical to the boy, other than the nose and of course, the eyes, "Yeah…" he said, somewhat sadly, "The only thing I would regret is not being able to raise my son myself, and I have to say, that's something my wife, Lily feels as well."

Lily agreed, clasping the arm that was draped over her shoulders, "Yes, we never really got the chance to do so ourselves."

Blinking, Nicolas turned to the silent orb, "They never did?"

**~No~**

Perenelle interjected, "Is there not some way to do just bring them back or something? To let them in their child's life?"

A sigh seemed to escape the orb, **~No, there is no way for them to come back considering the fact that they already exist in that world. But they could be let into Harry's life~**

"What?" Harry interrupted, focused on the orb, "How?"

**~Unlike you, they don't have fifteen years' worth of raw, untapped energy helping them along~** Magic stated, **~The Flamels will bear a child your soul will become attached to theirs. Eventually, a bleed effect will come in, and your memories, magic and personality will gradually merge with theirs.~**

"So how exactly would they be present?" Nicolas prompted, "Couldn't the same thing happen with us?"

**~No, it can't. Your souls are too radically different and though you may carry similarities, this process may result in insanity or multiple personalities. Besides, Mr. Black would not be present if that was the case~**

Realizing that indeed, the other man would not be present, Perenelle asked, "So how? I see no way other than creating a homunculus and allowing them to inhabit the body."

**~That has merit. However, the bodies would wear down quickly as they're not suited for something like that~**

"But would we be able to see him at least, from the afterlife?" Sirius asked, "We've gone through his life without being able to see it until he disappeared from his world, would we be able to see him there?"

**~You would be leaving all of your relatives, your friends…~**

Magic was interrupted by a serious looking Sirius, "I don't care… They'll have to deal with afterlife without me. They never supported me, they never looked into my innocence, and they surely didn't take care of my Godson. I could do more without them." He said in a controlled but anger-filled voice, before the energy left him, "so please… let me at least watch him through the afterlife."

"We both agree," Lily added, "with all of the reasons he supplied. Sure, Remus might be sad, but he has a wife and a child. We never had ours other than the year and the time we spent here."

James solemnly nodded, "And my parents, as much as I love them… they didn't like my marriage to Lily. It's why we lived in that house in Godric's Hollow in the first place. Had we been at our ancestral home…" he trailed off, lost in his memories while Lily picked up the slack.

"We won't mind not having contact as long as we can at least visit him in the afterlife."

The orb seemed to ponder the quandary it was put in. True, it was Magic. It could do whatever it wished, but it had also bound itself to prevent tragedies such as Atlantis from happening once again. But it was also bound due to the influences of two men who had no right meddling in its' business. In addition to that, but the wish that Harry had made had asked for him to get to know his parents. And the boy considered Sirius a parent as well, despite not openly calling him his father. Should it give this boy more? The ability for his parents to visit him? It could, but it could also give to those who were also needy. But the teenager had saved countless lives, allowing death a break. The entity was tired, seeking an holiday, especially since he was still finishing sorting through the remnants of the dead during the Vietnam War, as the mortals called it. Coming to a conclusion, it glowed, drawing attention to itself because the gathered wizards and witches had started talking to each other while it was deep in thought.

**~I'm already giving you much… all of you. The Flamels,~** it stated, it's unseen eyes looking at the couple, **~their ability to bear children. The boy, his Fifteen Years' Worth. And you three, his parents, the chance to meet with him.~** it seemed to sigh and deflate a bit. Curse his mother… for giving him compassion, **~So no, you won't be able to use the Homunculi as a way to visit.~**

The statement brought acknowledging but sad nods.

It seemed to sigh, before it continued, **~But you'll be able to watch him from the afterlife. That's the least I can give you. With this, I'm already starting to get a headache. And I don't even have a physical brain to feel such flippant things with~**

The statement caused them to laugh, before Harry thought of one thing, "Will we remember?"

**~Why don't you find out for yourself?~** Magic asked in a mirthful voice, while Harry and the Flamels were encompassed in cocoons of light, glad that it was going to be done with all of this talking. It would very much like to wander around it's universe, thank you very much.

Turning to the three remaining humans, who were downcast at their son's disappearance, the orb bobbed up and down, gathering their attention, **~As for you, I'll eventually allow you to contact your son. For now, you'll have to make your way to the afterlife of their world~**

"How do we get there anyways?" Sirius asked, "Heck, what do we do?"

Seeing an opportunity to have some fun, Magic sent tendrils towards the one of the walls, revealing a passageway that showed a way out of its antechambers. ~**That's the way to their afterlife. As for what you do?~ **it asked, as it popped, showering them with sparks of its essence, speaking with a burst of laughter, the multitude of voices that seemed to form its voice taking the form of the laughter of innumerable children. **~Live~**

As the chamber they were in started dissolving, they rushed forward into the passageway, halting when the wall rematerialized after they passed through. James chuckled, eyeing the lit hallway, flexing his right hand's fingers as he brought up his other hand and formed a ball of light that illuminated it even more. "Live?" he asked rhetorically, giving a wink to his brother and his wife.

Lily returned the wink with a grin as she formed a ball of light in her right hand, "It's the after-Life after all, Love." she chuckled, stressing the word, Life.

Holding his own hands out, Sirius flexed, "Yeah." he agreed happily, only to pout when he didn't get the same effect that the couple had. namely, he didn't have any orbs of light hovering above the palms of his hands. "What? how did you guys do that? you've been holding off on me, James, Lily!"

"In the words of my lovely wife , Sirius," James explained with a chuckle, "You never really researched about stuff like this anyways, am I right?"

Pouting at being showed up but happy that they would indeed see Harry once again, Sirius ended up with a roguish grin that scared Minerva McGonagall whenever she caught sight of it, "Well, I guess it's time I researched stuff like that then I guess, isn't it."

Lily giggled at that, wondering whether or not he'd give up like the other times they'd tried to get him serious about research and studying, "About time, indeed."

* * *

**New Year's Day - Flamel Manor, Somewhere in Japan**

It was the New year in Japan, as the date on the automatically shifting calendar showed Nicolas as he worked at his lab, trying to find a way to somehow allow them to have another child through the use of a combination of potions, alchemy and even some of the older fertility rituals… quickly doing calculations on a blackboard he'd been able to get a couple years ago, replacing the ones he'd gotten when he'd first heard of the term 'blackboard,' around the year 1834. He didn't need new ones, but he'd wanted the larger, smoother kind that was being produced nowadays, more than a hundred years later. 'Truly, wartime… although harsh and quite devastating to lives, was accompanied by times of great progress.' He thought to himself, finishing an equation that involved a fertility ritual that was developed by the Greeks, an old love potion created by the Japanese that 'guaranteed' the consummation of a child and the newest fertility potion in the French Market. No doubt to help along the repopulation of not only its Magical community, but the non-magicals that lived closer to rural areas. Looking it over, he couldn't find any flaws that would detract from it working. In fact, that was the problem. He sighed, running his hand from his forehead down to his chin in exasperation. All of the fertility... solutions always failed whenever he and his Perenelle tried them. They'd always worked on 'normal' people, both magical and non-magical whenever they were able to get them to test it, but-. His thoughts were cut off when he heard Perenelle scream.

"Nicolas!" she called out, sounding both excited and worried, making him quickly drop everything, the items left hovering in midair, as he rushed to get to his lady.

"Coming, my dear!" he shouted back, a stitch growing in his side as he ran up the fifth flight of stairs. 'Why in the hell did we get a six-story manor again?' He asked himself, as he finally made it up to the fourth floor. 'Is it even fit to be called a manor at this point?' he jokingly asked himself before seeing her standing at the entrance of their room, her face pale but otherwise looking fine, he ran up to her and hugged her to him, wandlessly casting a diagnosis charm that showed that other than slight fatigue and some aches, she was quite fine. "What's wrong, Penny?" he asked, pulling away from her and looking her over.

"Nick." She whispered, only to be ignored in his search for the thing that was ailing her. "Nicky." She called again, once again being ignored before she decided to just give him the news that she'd checked repeatedly over the past few days, hoping that it was true. "Nicholas!" she stated, finally getting him to stop fussing over her, "I'm pregnant."

Using all of the intelligence and public speaking skills he'd obtained in his thousand years plus on the planet, he eloquently stated, "Huh?"

Seeing his stunned face and knowing exactly what he was going through, she grasped his hands in hers, rubbing the back of them with her hands, "Nicky… love." She stated, locking eyes with him, "I'm pregnant."

Still somewhat numb at the news, Nicolas quirked an eyebrow at his wife, "Penny," he whispered, grabbing her hands to stop them from moving, covering them with his, "Are- are you sure? I know you wish to have a child, Pen. I do as well, but you don't have to do this." He whispered, looking down at their joined hands, hoping, despite the logical mind that he'd honed for more than a millennium, that there was truth in her words.

Seeing that he didn't believe her, she leaned forward and kissed him on his bowed forehead, "Nicky. Listen to me…" she gulped, swallowing the saliva that had built up in her mouth, "I know these feelings that I'm receiving." She whispered, "The last time I've had them was when we had Richard."

Daring to believe her, he looked up once again, focusing once again onto her blue orbs. "Are you sure." He asked, in more of a statement than a question.

Nodding, Perenelle gave him a wide, watery smile. "Yes. Use a pregnancy detection charm on me. I've tried several from Aramaic, to Japanese, even from the North American Indians… they've all worked."

Taking a step back, longing for the news that could irrevocably change the way they lived their lives, he pulled out his wand and cast the first pregnancy detection spell that came to mind, "Ninshin Kenpa!" He declared as he twirled one of his numerous wands between his fingers, weaving a net that would encompass his wife and tell him whether or not she was really pregnant or if in her wish that they would have a child had broken her despite her mental ability. As he concentrated on it, a stray thought about it came to mind, the reason it was the first thing he cast… was the fact that it was a Japanese charm that originated in the Nara Prefecture in the year 846… if the records were to believed. Quickly shoving that random thought out of his mind, he focused back on the twirling net that was starting to encompass his wife.

When the net finished intertwining itself around her, it stopped, the light brightening and his face took on a dumbfounded look. It wasn't possible, but there it was. Looking up to see her teary-eyed face, a huge smile split his face as tears made their way down his own cheeks. If this was a dream… if he went mad as well… then it didn't matter. They both had one… they had a child. And He'd gladly live in this dream forever if it meant they would be able to keep it.

* * *

**May 2, 1998 (according to the rest of the Planet's Calendars) - Magic's home**

At the end of its day, Magic, who was tired and feeling the aftereffects of opening all of those dimensional doors. Not to mention having to go to meetings with its' other incarnations, specific to that alternate universe. AND meeting with Death, who was somewhat more laid back in that universe than this one's... This was just one bad day. Made especially more so after all of the fighting that the British magical community was doing. Making the days' end even worse. Now it had to go and rebuild all of that energy, and with all of the healing and rebuilding that they were going to be doing...

Magic seemed to sigh, the light that shone forth from its' form fading, revealing a tired-looking androgynous... person. Conjuring a dark green robe edged in a light brown tied firmly around its' waist, along with a ribbon to tie most of its long, black hair back, Magic conjured another chair, an electric massage chair that would work with magic. Hey, it was magic incarnated. It could do whatever it wanted.

Slowly setting itself down, Magic released a sigh, the black hair not kept in the ribbon falling beside its' face, reaching down past the shoulders of the robe. Leaning back, Magic relaxed a bit more… the whole process was relaxing but already, Magic felt the pull from the Magicals on the other side of the world, where they were already starting their day. Should it dispense of magic for a while, before it regenerated enough and allowed them to regain it? Make all of the users start to appreciate it more?

**-I don't think you want to do that-** a familiar voice called out accompanied by its owner, a hooded, black-robed individual wielding a scythe.

**~Hello, Death~** Magic whispered, its brown eyes looking extremely tired and sleepy.** ~How do you do it?~**

From within the hood that covered its' head, Death raised an eyebrow. **–Do What?-**

Eyes staring off into the distance, Magic whispered, **~I know we're immortal beings… but do you ever get tired? How do you deal with the stress of doing it all?~**

Removing the hood from its' head and revealing a skull, Death gave the feeling that it had raised its' brow once again, **-You're asking me, who the being who is Death… who was 'worked to death' itself… how I deal with stress?-** Death asked, its' mirth not present its' voice. **–The being who looks like a skeleton clothed in black?-**

**~Forgive me, Death. I meant no disrespect, but.~ **Magic protested weakly, giving an apologetic smile to its' oldest friend.

**-I delegate-** Death stated succinctly.

~**What?~** Magic asked, tilting its' head to the side in confusion.

Death shrugged, looking at the ends of its' fingers in a way similar to a person checking their manicure, -**Delegate. You know what it means. I've granted portions of my powers to those who could deal with death in their regions, leaving me a bit more leisure time.-**

Magic chuckled, its' eyes seeming to regain some of the glow it lost in its' tiredness. Flicking an offending set of bangs out of its' eyes, Magic responded, **~I have heard rumors from the others about your 'Shinigami,' who operate in the Eastern-Asian countries.~**

-**As have I, with your gift-givers-** Death responded succinctly.

**~Touché, Death, Touché~ **Magic nodded, feeling the chair get its' back muscles.

-**So what's this I hear about you giving my newest 'champion' away to another dimension?-** Death asked seriously, the eyeholes, despite not containing eyes, still as penetrating as they were when they were a deep, sky blue.

**~I'm sorry, death, but it was his wish. My… delegates had given him something that had enough potential to kill this world. I merely… searched across the multitude of alternate dimensions to find one that would suit his needs and wishes and… sent him there.~**

**-And what of those tied to him, such as his parents and…-** Death paused, a list appearing in thin air in front of him, **-one Mr. Sirius Orion Black.-**

**~Wish~ **Magic stated with a groan as the chair reached a particular spot that was bothering him only a few moments ago. The tone was serious, however, with enough conviction in it that it was the only answer needed.

And with a sigh and an agreeing nod, Death replied, crossing its arms in -**But why?-**

**~Why what?~ **Magic asked, closing its' eyes in an attempt to get at least some rest.

-**Why did you send him away?-** Death asked with a pout heard in its' tone and a low slouch, **-He was the first one in ages to find all of the pieces of the Three!-** Death shouted, throwing its' arms out and falling backwards, right across both arms of a tall, obsidian chair. –**Come on, Magic. Why?-**

~**Bound by my word, Death~** Magic answered with a smile tugging on the edge of its lips, **~You should know, Mr. I-don't-give-up-or-break-my-promises.~**

-**Shut up.-** Death muttered petulantly from his seat, pointing violently at Magic. –**And don't you dare add those hyphenations that your British Magicals love to use. They're so retarded.-**

A boisterous laugh left Magic's throat, distinctly sounding male, the multitude of accompanying voices gone. **~And what would you be talking about? The people or the hyphenations?~**

-**And what if I said I was talking about both of them?-** Death asked, propping its' head on an arm that rested on the shoulder of the chair it sat on. **–How's the little snow hare doing anyways?-**

**~You mean Mr. Rabbit?~** Magic asked, opening his' eyes and raising an eyebrow at Death. **~He's doing fine. He's done with the chocolate addiction.~**

**-That's good to hear-** Death nodded, feeling glad that Magic's pet had recovered from the overabundance of chocolate that it kept on eating. An addiction that neither Death nor Magic could stop feeding, considering how cute he was. **–Where is it anyways?-**

**~Resting~** Magic responded, giving a yawn, **~He's been doing charity work, helping spread chocolate to those who are needy.~**

Observing the yawn, Death asked, **-What say you, Magic? Vacation? With me?-**

Rolling his eyes, Magic responded, **~And where would we go? Actually, how're we going to take the backlog if we do go, Huh? Not to mention how you look…~** Feeling a glare focus on him, Magic continued, **~right now, with that… skeleton-y look.~**

Shrugging Death responded nonchalantly, **-aren't you Magic? You just opened up several dimensional corridors, met with an alternate you and me and who knows who else to talk about why and convinced them to allow those four to move into their place. Not only that, but your subordinates stopped time to talk to the kid. Can't you, you know… stop time? Besides, I only look like this whenever I wear these robes.-**

**~Stopping time throughout the world, huh?~** Magic mumbled, thinking to himself. It was possible. Not only that, but while the timestop was active, he could regenerate as much magic as he wanted, and they could possibly visit other planes of existence. And when they got back, they could resume time after rewinding the time around them and realigning them with the same time that they disappeared from. Not to mention, seeing death as she looked like when she wasn't a skeleton again… He shivered and tried to hide his lecherous grin, unsure of whether or not Death caught them. **~Alright. You got me. Vacation it is.~ **

**-ALRIGHT!-** Death yelled, jumping out of her seat, **-I'm going to get ready, ok? Bye!-** she shot without waiting for a response as she disappeared with a pop, her obsidian chair following her after a few seconds of stunned silence.

**~Unpredictable as always, Death.~ **Magic chuckled, standing up and concentrating on gathering enough energy to send the world into stasis, making sure to find an exact point at which the temporal activity wouldn't interfere with any people in the middle of magical teleportation and communication. **~unpredictable as always.~** he said, sending out a net of magic to ensnare the whole world. And, after a few moments made a gesture with one of his hands, he sent out another pulse through the 'net' he'd just created to displace them from the time stream. Sending a quick message to Mr. Rabbit, the Newly dubbed Santa and Mrs. Claus as well as to the others, Magic turned around and summoned a bottomless bag from… somewhere. Hey, if he didn't have one lying around and he summoned it, wouldn't that mean that nothing would come? This was his home after all. Immediately shutting those thoughts away, Magic began packing, making sure to be ready for anything before he paused, a thought striking him in the head from out of nowhere.

He was Magic incarnated. The source of all of the magic of this plane. He could just create whatever he needed, so why the hell did he need to pack?

And as if on cue, he heard a pop escorting Deaths' arrival and her questioning voice, the origins of which, were dangerously close to his ear, **-Why do you need to pack, Magic?-**

At that, he didn't even have enough energy to jump at the surprise. So he couldn't help but cover his face with his hands in embarrassment and sadness. He really needed a vacation.

Again, Death seemed to read his mind, **-Wow, Magic... you're really out of it. You need a vacation. I mean, you really, really, neeeed one.-**

**~You win, Death. You win. Just pick a place and decide.~ **He spoke through his hands while he shook his head at the whole situation, **~If I'm this out of it, then I might pick something not so good.~**

**-Awesome!-** Death yelled, before muttering locations under her breath, none of which Magic caught in his now even more tired and drained state. If he had, however, he would have decided to pick their vacation spot instead.

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**- Chapter 1: End** -

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**- Post-Chapter Author's Note: -**

So yes, I've posted 'Chapter 1' of Fifteen Years' Worth. Yes, I know it's somewhat of a cliff-hanger, but I'm still somewhat unsure on where this story will go. Not to say that I don't have anything in the works for at least a few years (in the story anyway) so I will be continuing this story :).

Compared to Maelstrom's Road, this thing was completely unplanned, since with MR, I had a somewhat good Idea on where I was going to go with it. Relatively, anyway.

With this story, I was trying to think of ways for a Time-Travel/Alternate-Dimension story to happen, because that's what I was thinking about at the time, especially since I couldn't really have Harry live in Santa-Flamel's Universe. I mean with Voldemort dead, the people rebuilding... what would I write then other than the political stuff... and I don't think I would do good at that.

Then I had all of these great things that were popping into my mind for future stuff that would happen in my story and I didn't actually consider the actual ages of the characters, merely assuming that they were all going to be the same. But I thought about it, and didn't want Harry to be in the same year, heck… I'm not sure if I even want him to show up at Hogwarts for all of his magical education, really.

So then I hit a big problem…

I was going to go one way with this story, by making wish!Harry the same age as canon!Harry. But the more I thought about it and the way my gut felt, I wanted to go and change Harry's age, since I didn't want to go through all seven years of cut and paste (relatively, anyway). Sure, I'd have some fun making wish!Harry the same age as canon!Harry… but where's the fun in having him stay in Hogwarts all those years, especially if I'm making his parents the Flamels?

… and so at the end of this chapter, I was left with a conundrum… do I take Path A?

Where I make him older, by at least a year.

Or do I take Path B?

Where he would be younger, like a year younger.

I did see problems that would pop up immediately. Like creating more characters than using names and stuff that are already set, like one of my favorite fanon-expanded Daphne Greengrass, but I don't think I'll mind. I think it's half the fun! …okay, that was a bit too much there, but it has to be a bit fun… right? The second one would be having me write Luna. Luna is… unique. I'm not exactly sure if I can show people how awesome I think she is… Really.

Originally, this chapter was technically complete with just the Flamels. But then I just had to flesh things out and bring more stuff into the story. Not that it's not a bad idea, but I'm not completely sure it flows quite right… but meh. My real-life pairing says it's Good enough to post. So, it's up to you guys and gals to check it over or whatever.

Some friends have suggested I make this a two-shot or even a few-shot? (does that even make sense?) but I don't think I will. I can do so much with this, that I'm not sure if I can even pull it off… so here's for hoping!

Moving on:

Ok, to clear things up… unlike J.K. Rowling's Nicolas Flamel, who was born in 1327… my Nicolas Flamel(s) were born before 1000 A.D. 927 for Nicolas Flamel-Claus. As for the Nicolas of Reality B? there is only one hint so far. He's more than a thousand by the mid-1900's.

People may recognize a name that popped up in the middle of the story. I may or may not elaborate on it at a later time.

… Aww, who am I trying to kid. I probably will.

They might also recognize who I've based Magic and Death on, with their interactions at the end of the chapter. Maybe. Just maybe. If not, then it's not really important to the actual plot of the story... or is it O_O?

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**Any questions and/or Concerns, please leave a review... or a p.m.**

**Especially about inconsistencies... Those suck, and I'll do my best to clear them up as soon as possible.**

**One More Thing:**

**BTW: FEEDBACKS! PLEASE. **

**O.K., I'm good.**

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**Anyways, thanks for reading.**

**Until next time,**

**Margulide**


	3. Hi! I haven't seen you before!

**Disclaimer: I own Harry Potter. ... ... not! (LATE APRIL FOOLS!). I really don't own anything Harry Potter related other than copies of "Harry Potter and the: The Goblet of Fire," The Half-Blood Prince" and The Deathly Hallows." Any other copies of the Harry Potter Book series that I own are halfway around the world from where I currently am and live. **

**"Fifteen Years' Worth" is a non-profit based 'Fanfic.' Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling and whoever else she is sharing the profits with. Please support the official release.**

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**Review/PM Responses**

**Soupermann – **Umm… I don't know what you're talking about! *shoves folder crammed with papers off the desk* Well, thank you for reading my story and reviewing it. I hope to keep up with your expectations. And yes, I have decided to make him older. As for pairings… I'll have to see where my muse takes me.

**Selias** – Well, here's more for you. Sooner than my other story, in fact.

**Loretta537 – **There will be lots of changes. Definitely. Some of which are apparent in this chapter.

**chm01** – took the first 'road,' and hope you enjoy it.

**Vellouette - **Sorry, but he isn't going to be a year younger :(. I know that some people won't like it and will more than likely stop reading because of it. But… I honestly, although I love Luna and any fics involving her… at this point and time, I'm not quite confident enough in my fledgling… FF writing to pull her off, especially in a romantic setting. Eventually, however, she will be involved.

**sh8ad8ow, & fuuinkami, **and any other readers: hope you guys enjoy it.

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_'Thoughts' _/ 'Thoughts'

"**Conversations." /** "Conversations." / **_"Conversations."_**

**~Magic~ **

**-Death-**

Spells / Spell Names

Posted: Monday, April 4, 2011

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**Fifteen Years' Worth**

**Chapter 2**

**~Hi! I haven't seen you before!~**

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**- Chapter 3: Start –**

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**April, 1976 – Flamel Manor, Somewhere in Italy Overlooking the Adriatic Sea**

Nicolas stared out over the Adriatic Sea from the corner of his manor's rooftop. 'The sunrise has always been beautiful.' He thought to himself as he took in the sights. Even though he had lived by the Adriatic sea for most of his 'mortal' life, and even comparing the sights that he and Perenelle had seen in their travels all over the world, vacationing, researching and cataloguing whatever took their fancy… this was, in his own honest opinion, still one of the most breathtaking sights he'd ever seen.

With the light blue water glittering brightly from the Sun's unimpeded rays, the sparse clouds taking in the vivid purple and orange swathes of color that danced around in the sky as the Sun rose… this was his favorite place in the world to sit and just let everything go. Throughout his life, whenever he was troubled, he would try to find the highest point he could, just to gaze over the area around him, and be it countryside, a castle or even just the wilderness. Finding the highest point was, other than his Perenelle and his love for her, pretty much the only constant in his life. Intrigue and the search for knowledge was where he spent the majority of the years he had, but those could be overcome with the desire to just let everything go. To do whatever for fun or just for the sake of doing it. In a word… spontaneity.

Nicolas chuckled to himself as he turned around and watched his shadow grow longer as he sat down on the parapet, taking out one of his numerous wands and twirling it between his fingers, he pondered the situation he and his 'Nelle found themselves in. At this point, her pregnancy was already four months in and she was already showing. Not only that, but none of it was a dream… nor had they gone crazy. Both of them had checked, rechecked, calculating exactly why they were given this chance. Not to say that they weren't glad, but honestly, this scared Nicolas more than he'd like to admit to Perenelle. Their track record for having children was in reality, very horrible. And the thought of their child being stillborn…

He shook his head furiously, his crimson locks whipping around from the force of his denial. "No." he muttered, standing up and tucking the wand back into one of the numerous pockets that lined his pants. "I won't let that happen." He promised, turning back and looking at the Sun. "I would kill myself if it did."

"If what happened?" Perenelle's voice came out from the stairway that led to the roof.

Quickly turning around once again, Nicolas spotted the ebony hair that his wife was born with. Looking at her inquiring face, he held out his arms and ran to give her a hug. "I don't want to worry you." He whispered once she was in his embrace.

Perenelle sighed and pulled back a bit, "Nicolas, please. You know that not telling me will only make me worry more. Besides, the fact that we're here," She said, gesturing at their location by the Adriatic, "means that there's a lot on your mind. Much more than you did back on Christmas day."

Acknowledging her logic, he nodded, pulling away from her embrace and turning back towards the sea. "Perenelle Revka Flamel. If… say, our child doesn't…" he tried to say, only to be surprised by the tight hug that suddenly came around his waist accompanied by the shaking head of his wife between his shoulder blades.

"Don't. Don't say it." Perenelle whispered, pleading for him to stop, "I think about it enough and I don't want to have these times marred by these sorts of thoughts."

Shaking his head, Nicolas turned and returned her hug. "This has to be said, my Nelle."

Closing her eyes, and digging herself deeper into his embrace, she nodded tightly in response, "Alright, Nicolas."

"If…" he started, trying to find a way to say this in a way that wouldn't hurt them both, "if something happens… not that I would wish it so, but if, by some chance… something did. Would you want to follow our children?"

Stunned, realizing exactly what he was saying, Perenelle asked, "To just… stop?"

Nodding slowly, Nicolas replied, "We've lived our lives more than anyone could ever hope for or dream of, my queen. I'm not sure if I can handle something like that happening. If anything… we'll be able to raise our child in the afterlife."

A small chuckle escaped Perenelle's throat, "You never did believe in such a thing as an afterlife, Nicolas. Why now?"

Perenelle felt him grin as he said, "I don't know. I just do. I spent all of those years wondering whether or not an afterlife was true… but the idea wormed its way into my mind and it just won't let go. Perenelle, I'm serious about it though… would you?"

Feeling the swell that signified their child's form, she nodded tightly. "Yes, Nicolas." She sighed, looking up and bringing her hands behind his neck. "I would… if you will. Like you said… I'd rather follow them than live a life without them."

At her answer, Nicolas bit his bottom lip as another thought struck him. "Do you ever regret it?"

Finding the change of topic somewhat comforting, knowing that they'd come to a decision if **it** ever occurred, she smiled softly and asked in response, "Regret what?"

Gesturing around at themselves before resting his arms at her lower back, Nicolas answered, "Taking the elixir… staying all of this time with me."

Pursing his lips at the odd question, she raised an eyebrow at him, "Of course not, Nicolas… like I said before… I may have wished we could have another child, but we have one now. I never regretted staying with you." She said, with a bright smile, compounded by the morning sky that was slowly turning blue, bringing out the blue in her eyes, "And I never will."

Feeling warmth flow throughout his body, Nicolas smiled widely and whispered, "May I have a dance, Milady?"

Giggling, she shook her head at the turn of his emotions, and answered, "Of course, Milord… only if it's you."

"Heh," He chuckled, pulling her into a swaying motion. "At least until our child is born, yes?"

"What do you think?" She asked wryly, snuggling deeper into his embrace.

"Well, I'm thinking yes." He pondered, looking past her and towards the sea, "We'll be teaching them everything, right?"

"Now that you mention it," Perenelle pondered, "If we will be doing that, we need to have our child have friends of his own age as well, Nicky."

Nodding, Nicolas breathed in the scent of her hair, which bore the fragrance of cherry, "That had also passed through my mind, when it isn't in the gloom and doom state. And we really don't need to do anything about that. With Albus gone, having taken what I had offered him…" he trailed off, remembering his latest student, before coming back to his wife poking him in the ribs, "Alright, Alright… What I was saying was, other than Albus… no one else knows that we're still alive. True, there are the myths, rumors and legends despite them not really knowing how we look like…"

"You're saying we should… start over?" she murmured.

Nodding once again, Nicolas answered, "I was thinking we should move, leave our manor behind even more wards, burn our other manor to the ground, as if we'd died in an explosion from a failed spell-crafting or potion. Besides, the only people who actually know of this manor are all dead. Ignotus and his wife were the last to actually see this place and that was in the 1200's. We can leave our fake stone still sealed inside that failed mirror of mine just in case Albus comes around."

"That wasn't a failed mirror." Perenelle retorted, "It works fine. It shows the 'heart's desire.' I don't see why you still keep calling it a failure."

Nicolas let out a scoff, "It was intended to break barriers through the space-time continuum, Nelle. As a gate towards the one where the one wielder could enter the place where their hearts' desire will be truth."

Rolling her eyes, she responded "It still works fine, besides, how can you think that the mirror really does not do that already. It could technically show the person the place and time where their dreams would be truth, Nicky. Besides, you only got that idea from Charles Dogson's book."

Sighing, he nodded in assent, "Fine, fine. In any case… what do you think of the idea?"

Thinking it over in her mind for a few seconds, Perenelle answered, "Considering the fact that you would only pretend to take out the stone at times to make sure that he wouldn't go snooping around for anything else…" she trailed off into a small laugh, "It was really fun watching him try to get the stone himself."

Nicolas agreed, "He was a great student, Nelle, just a bit full of himself and his beliefs." He snorted, "I can just picture it, him, sitting inside his office at Hogwarts, just trying to find ways to get the stone."

Perenelle laughed, "He'd probably say something about how a person would want to find the stone, find it, but not use it being the only ones to get it. It'd be terribly ironic if the person who'd gotten the stone broke it before Albus got there."

Laughing, Nicolas had to agree with his wife, "It would be terribly Ironic, would it not? But back to our discussion, where do you think we should move to? We could just plop this manor down someplace… no, actually, why don't we get a new house or home, Nelle?"

"Why don't we get one here?" Perenelle asked, stepping back from his embrace as she looked at his face. "Richard was born here, was raised here. I was as well, and you, Nicolas were raised here."

Looking back to the Adriatic Sea, Nicolas nodded, "We'd have to get a place near Venice but closer to the sea."

"Agreed. I don't want to be involved in the wars taking place, whether they are mundane or magical. We could cordon off our own area to place under invasion-prevention wards and place the area under not only the unplottable charm, but the Fidelius with Laney as our keeper."

At the mention of their house-elf, Nicolas grinned, "Was this what you were planning when you got Laney started on being able to write?"

With a nonchalant shrug, Perenelle looked away from him, "Take it as you will, Nicolas."

Giving her a lustful grin, Nicolas moved closer and whispered into her ear, "The question is, do you want me to 'take it?'"

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**Unknown Date/Time – Trans-Dimensional Hallway**

Still walking down the 'trans-dimensional hallway' as Lily had taken to calling it, James turned to his best friend, asking another question of him… the latest of hours of questioning that he and Lily had given Sirius since the start of their dimensional-traversing. "So, Sirius, tell us what you were thinking when you were dueling Bellatrix."

Mentally cringing at the coming questions, Sirius slowly turned his head towards James, catching sight of an inquisitive-looking Lily. "Umm… why do you ask?" he questions them nervously, his left hand's pinky twitching.

"Well, I'd like to know…" James continued, feeling his friends' nervousness, "why the bloody hell you fought like a third year?" He exclaimed, augmenting his outburst with a slap to the side of the head. "You would at least be able to duel Bellatrix to a standstill and that was proven when you dueled her a month before Lily and I… disappeared."

"That question does come to mind," Lily added, giggling, "It was very out of character for you… you're usually all focused and involved in all of the fights you have been involved in."

"I'm honestly confused, myself," Sirius replied, giving a sad smile, "I couldn't help but act that way, really. I mean, looking back, I'd imagine that I would maybe flourish a bit…" he said, giving a helpless shrug, "But honestly, I doubt I'd ever have done that pre-Azkaban… hell, I don't think I'd do it right now. Frankly, the events and circumstances have been quite… shifty in regards to the activities in Harry's life."

"You've noticed too, then?" Lily asked with a smile tugging the corner of her lips, "I would have thought that it would take you longer to notice."

Sirius shook his head sadly, shoulders slumping as they walked along, "No, in fact, I never noticed. It took me dying and going through what I was actually involved in to see how badly I've failed both Harry and you guys…"

"Don't worry about it, Pads." James said consolingly, patting his brother's shoulder. "Like you've said… the circumstances around our son's life have been… shifty."

Sirius had to agree with that, "I mean, during my time in Azkaban, I've thought over my life and how I would set things right. Where I would go wrong and such… and in the form of Padfoot, I wasn't that affected by the Dementors all that much. But once I got out…" he mumbled, staring forward into the distance.

Lily smiled grimly at his admission, further adding fuel to her Ire. And yes, she had to admit that her ire was constantly fed ever since her husband's and her own death… where they learned they could not see or watch over their son. But it was compounded by the facts she'd learned from their 'jaunt' through her baby's mind. The situations regarding his whole life were all dubious at best. Sure, from her son's point of view, it was hard to tell… but from her own… the actions of the living had painted a very disturbing picture.

Starting from the very beginning… Once she and James had been told of the Prophecy regarding her son, which she was very doubtful of even to this moment… considering the fact that her son had used no such power in their final battle. A conjured dagger to the forehead and Riddle-mort was taken care of. She told James that they should move away from Britain… but given his persistence and her faith in the headmaster, which had taken multiple severe blows in the past twenty-four hours… she'd acquiesced to their pleas to stay hidden in Britain.

As for the whole situation with the Fidelius Charm… she cast it herself and would have made herself the secret-keeper if the fact that the Secret Keeper could not stay at the location for more than three hours, eighteen minutes and twenty four seconds before the charm failed. She'd researched the spell herself, working through it with her skills with spell-creation, charms and arithmancy. But was unable to find sufficient evidence of any older versions of the spell that would allow the keeper to stay inside the hidden field permanently. She wasn't able to find books in the Hogwarts Library to help. Any that would have were gone. She knew that, because she saw them not only before she had to use the books, but she'd seen the books again during Harry's faint memories of his fourth year visits to the restricted section. Back to the matter at hand, however… they'd worked out a system to allow Sirius to be the secret keeper, with James as Sirius' secret keeper for his quaint cottage. But one day, after an order meeting, they somehow decided to make Peter their secret keeper. Sure, they trusted him, but it was now apparently very, very misplaced.

After that, following Dumbledore's… advisements, they cut off contact with friends, only allowing Sirius to be an in-between. In addition to that, other than themselves… they only gave Remus, Peter, Sirius, Frank and Alice their locations. So how did Dumbledore and for that matter, Hagrid, know where they were. The Fidelius Charm was set so that it would not dissipate at her death… more like ten years after her death. The age her Harry would have started going to Hogwarts.

Shaking her thoughts away, she looked back at the still talking males, who were recalling their quidditch games. Turning back to the thoughts, however…

Petunia… the whole situation with her sister gave her mixed emotions. She had started talking to Petunia once she got married. Sure, she didn't attend, but Petunia said that her husband didn't want to go. Ergo, so she didn't. In addition to that, both of them were making inroads to actually having a great sister to sister relationship once again. She could even remember the few times when she'd brought Harry over weeks before they had to disappear. Petunia adored Harry, loving the fact that he'd received her sister's eyes. But she loved her son more… and it was expected, but the Petunia in Harry's memories was a bitter, spiteful woman. And the blatant favoritism… at that thought, Lily came to a stop. A sad, but understanding smile appeared onto her face. Another piece of a grand puzzle. One that she would have no problem figuring out. This was related to her son. She wasn't with him until after she died… so she would do all she could now. Not only to help him, but the other Lily, if there was one in the newer dimension, with any of their problems.

Only time would tell, however, whether or not Dumbledore was as… sneaky as he was in the realm they left behind.

**(O_O)**

James stole a glance back at his wife, who was walking along with a focused but somewhat dazed look. Oh, he had no problems with that… especially since he found out how she worked out any problems. She'd go and pace, and what better place to pace than a seemingly endless hallway? Noticing Sirius' concern, he waved him off, whispering, "She's thinking stuff over. When she figures it out, we'll know."

"Really?" Sirius asks, his eyes shifting between my wife and myself before James gave him a reassuring grin. One that he quickly accepts.

"It's how she works out her problems." James whispered, waving nonchalantly at his wife.

"I didn't know that." Sirius said, trying to figure out how he never saw her in that state before.

"Yeah…" James chuckled, "I was scared shitless. I thought she was under the Imperious…"

Breathing out a relieved sigh, Sirius looked at his best friend with wide eyes, "I can imagine. When did you find out, anyway?"

"Hahaha, I actually got home early once, and saw her looking like one of those Zombies in those mu-vies? Yeah, those muvies the muggles are always showing. Turns out, she paces, and doesn't even have to register where she wants to move. She just wanders. If she goes up towards a wall, she either turns back or turns into a different direction." James explained, and once seeing the mischievous glint in his friend's eyes, James growled, "Don't you dare prank her. The moment she comes back if interrupted…" he said, trailing off at the end, rubbing his backside. A painful reminder of when he tried pranking her when she was in that state.

Raising his hands in surrender, Sirius chuckled at his friend. "Fine, fine. But does she really do this all of the time?"

Pulling his friend forward as they were slowing down and would have been trampled by Lily in her current state, James shook his head, replying, "No, these are for those really extreme cases where a whole bunch of stuff is involved. She's trying to work out the 'bigger picture' as she calls it." He said, throwing up some air quotes. They end up laughing for a few moments before silence overtakes them, the only audible sounds are their breathing and the footsteps that echo around them.

"So it isn't often?" Sirius questions after a while, both unable to bear the silence and wanting to make sure that she was alright. James was his brother, and by proxy, she was his sister-in-law.

"Stop worrying, Sirius." James chuckled, lightly punching his brother in the shoulder, "She does take notice of things in front of her. That's why we're staying here, instead of behind her. That and well, she's unconsciously let the light she was holding go. As of right now," he said with a chuckle, waving the hand with the ethereal light, "I'm the only one able to light the way."

"Well, light on, Brother." Sirius laughed, pointing down the hallway, where they caught sight of a glow similar to James' "Light on."

Noticing what Sirius was pointing out, James stopped in place, holding out the arm not holding the light to stop his wife. "That's not me, Sirius."

Brought out of her contemplations, Lily asked irritatedly, "What's not you? You didn't let anything loose while I was following did you?"

"What? That's not either of you?" Sirius asked, trying to peer at the location where the other light was. Only to fail due to the distance and the fact that they seemed to be around a corner.

Looking down at her hands, which were darkened, Lily blushed in embarrassment, "Sorry," she muttered before she lit her hands up once more. "Was distracted there."

"It's fine, Lils." Sirius laughed softly, not noticing James motions for him to cut it off, "James told me about it."

"Did he now?" she asked, raising an inquiring eyebrow towards her husband, who was shooting her an extremely sheepish grin. Letting out a sigh that eased James' fears, she giggled, "I guess you would have found out sooner or later. Now, do you guys want to meet whoever's around that bend?"

Stretching, James nodded, "I don't see why not."

Sirius quickly agreed, "Besides, what's-." he began, only to be hit on both sides of his head. "What was that for?"

"Don't say that." James told him with a solemn look.

"But I was only going to say-." He started again, only to be hit once again. "Ow! Stop it!"

"Ever." Lily growled.

"Why?" Sirius questioned, his hands ready to ward away blows to his head.

"It always leads to bad luck." A voice stated from the direction the other light was.

Upon turning around, they noticed that the light was close. Much closer than down the hallway… not only that, but it was accompanied by a hooded person. "Sirius?" the person asked, sounding pleasantly surprised. "James, Lily?"

Tensing, James and Lily readied themselves for a confrontation. Sirius, on the other hand, decided to say, "Who are you? You seem to know us, but I don't think we've met."

"Oh, sorry." The figure said, removing their hood, revealing a Raven-haired, green eyed woman. "It's me, Artie."

Stunned at the friendly attitude and even more wary than before, Lily prodded, "Sorry, but we don't know any Arty."

Wrinkling her nose, the newcomer gave them an incredulous look, "Don't play with me, Lily. I'm not falling for it."

Eyeing her up and down, "I apologize, but I know I haven't met you before." Sirius said with a smirk, "I definitely would remember if I did."

At his statement, she scoffed, raising both of her eyebrows in that 'are you serious' look, "You don't remember me? Artemis McGonagall… your friend ever since the second year of Hogwarts? And stop it with the tensing; you're making me all wary."

Giving a sheepish grin to his wife, who gave a nod, James relaxed and said, "I really am sorry, but we've never met you before. The only McGonagall that we do know is our Transfiguration professor, Minerva. Not only that, but she's over seventy."

Still giving them a dry look, "Come off it guys, my mom? You almost had me going there, but once you mentioned my mom teaching?" at that, she scoffed, giving them a condescending look, "We've been pranking each other for ages. And I'd have to say, this really isn't amusing right now. I died, and ended up talking to this ball of light."

"Pranking?" Sirius started with a gleam in his eyes, peering closely at the woman, "Tell me more."

"Ball of light?" James asked, interested, cutting off any reply to Sirius from the woman in front of them, "Don't you mean, Magic?"

"You've met him too?" Artemis asks with a wide smile, "Oh thank goodness, I thought I was going crazy, talking to a ball of light of all things. I mean, it's magic, but really... to present itself as a ball of light."

"Artemis." Lily interrupted the only other female in their immediate vicinity. "It looks like we have to talk about some things then."

"What about?"

"Everything you know." James says seriously.

"What do you mean everything I know? You guys were right there up to the moment I died. Last thing I saw was your horrified looks as that Avada hit me." Artemis says in a rushed manner, only to pause at their reactions. "Oh, no… don't tell me," she mutters, looking closer at her 'friends,' and noticing the subtle differences that came with them. "You're not the Lily, James and Sirius I know, aren't you?" she asks, hoping that she was wrong. Seeing them nod, she sighs heavily, turning away. "I guess it was too much to hope for…"

"Wait!" Sirius pleads, reaching out to grasp her wrist, "This place obviously led us to this point. Why don't we settle down and work this out?"

Blinking, Artemis turned around to peer closely at Sirius, "Yes… definitely not the Sirius I know. He wouldn't even be caught saying something that… logical." She said, avoiding the word serious, knowing the consequences of saying it even to someone who wasn't the Sirius she knew.

Stunned at the somewhat back-handed compliment, Sirius let her wrist go just as a smile blossomed on Lily's face, "Yours too, huh."

Unable to keep from rolling her eyes, Artemis shot back, "Definitely."

At that admission, both women laughed out loud, causing the two men to look at each other wide-eyed. -Shit… there are two of them.- Sirius mouthed to James, who only ended up laughing with the women, eventually dragging Sirius into their merriment.

'Have to admit though,' Sirius thought to himself as he watched the woman laugh, pulling her raven hair back into a long ponytail, 'She's definitely a looker.'

"Well, if we're going to be talking for a while then, let's head back to 'camp." Artemis said, gesturing to her previous location.

"Camp, huh?" Lily questioned, "So this isn't just a hallway then?"

"Oh, no." Artemis said, "It's still a Hallway. An amazing one... but a hallway nonetheless."

"So why call it a camp?" James asked, deciding to put a word in edgewise.

"Oh, because the turns are where the area is larger than anywhere else, that's why." Artemis replied, shrugging. "So, you guys coming with me?"

Sirius nodded eagerly. "I am, at least."

"Sirius!" Lily admonished. "Really?" she asked rhetorically.

"Hey," Sirius shrugged at his best female friend, "It's a chance to know about this place and about where she comes from. Not to mention, it sucks being alone." He shivered, remembering both his time in Azkaban and on the Run.

Artemis smiled widely at the man who was rapidly gaining her... admiration, "You're definitely way better than the Sirius I know." she said, before pulling him ahead of the couple who were dumbfounded at the scene they just witnessed.

Lily heard a sniff coming from James and turned to see him wipe away a tear. "Oh, what's wrong, James?"

"It's Sirius." he said with a half-sob. "He's finally growing up."

At that, she couldn't help but laugh, joined in by her husband who was now sporting a wide grin. "He is, isn't he? Now, if I could just get you to stop being such a kid…"

James pouted at the jab, before shooting her a cocky grin, "You know you love it though."

"Yeah..." Lily agreed, moving to give him a hug, "I do."

"Come on, let's go." James muttered, pulling back from the hug, "It's not wise to leave Sirius alone for too long."

"Alone?" Lily asked skeptically as the made their way towards Artemis' 'camp.'

"With anyone, really." He chuckled, leading to more laughter. 'As afterlives go, this isn't too bad.' James mused as he draped an arm over Lily's shoulder. 'The only thing that would make this even better, was if Harry was here. But then again…' he thought, coming up to the so-called camp. 'I'm sure he's enjoying himself by now.'

* * *

**Unknown Date/Time – The Swirly Cocoon Sphere Thing**

'This isn't all that fun anymore.' Harry mused to himself as he stared at the magical cocoon that was still swirling around him. True, the method of transportation was great. It wasn't like the floo, where he was ejected out onto either his backside or into compromising positions with anyone who happened to be on the other side. It wasn't like apparition, where discomfort seemed to be the name of the game when it regarded him. Nor was it like a portkey, which like the floo, threw him around like a ragdoll. The few times he took people's suggestions to let go and land on his feet caused him to careen into solid objects that initiated severe amounts of pain onto himself such as tress, a concrete block or any motorized vehicles that were present. All of which paled to the broomstick, which he loved.

'Now, if I could recreate a similar way of transporting myself,' Harry thought to himself as he started observing the lights that revolved around him, 'I wouldn't even have to find a way to…'

Any further thoughts pertaining to the creation of a transportation spell that would not inconvenience him were stopped as the sphere dissipated, leaving him in identical room to the one he was in before he was enveloped by Magic's… magic.

"Magic?" he called out, turning in place to observe the room around him and immediately noticing minute differences from the location he was in previously.

"I haven't been called that in quite a while." A feminine voice purred from the doorway, causing him to turn around and come face to face with –

"Hermione?"

* * *

**September 12, 1976 - St. Catherine's Hospital for the Magically Inclined (Markedly Injured); New York City, United States of America**

Nicolas paced in front of the doors that were keeping him from his wife and his child. True, he knew that Perenelle was just fine. The artificial bond they'd developed through their constant association over the thousand-plus years they'd known each other allowed him to do so. Unlike the fabled and well-lauded 'romantic-bonds' that perforated the numerous romantic novels that were associated with female magical literature… and even mundane literature, it wasn't something that just 'clicked' on first sight. The bonds were all developed by couples who were so in tune with each other that they don't even need to talk to convey their conversations. He snorted, causing one of the 'older women' to glare at him. Theoretically, it was possible to attain the bond within moments of meeting each other. Kindred souls, as it were… and even then it wouldn't mean that the couple would be romantically inclined. It would greatly increase the chances that said couple would get together, or threaten any that they would participate in, but never break the one that they had with each other. He sighed, running his hand through his now shorter facial hair as Perenelle had once again started enjoying the feeling of 'prickliness' that was associated with said hair… getting back to topic, however, such bonds were prevalent much more than the magical community thought. Their xenophobic tendencies preventing them from seeing the bonds forming between mundane couples, their ignorance compounded by the way they themselves had their relationships. With their relationships usually for political or familial gain unlike what mundanes usually did.

True, the mundane's bonds weren't perfect… based upon the very fact that they were not magicals or of magical background. That, of course, was the whole basis of the bond. The mundanes could only 'mimic' a bond, since they could certainly break away from the close relationships that were helped along by said bonds. Finishing that thought, he checked the door once more, only to pout when the room was still sealed. Turning back his thoughts, which were keeping him occupied, he continued. Squibs or Post-Magicals, as he'd come to call them, were definitely affected by said bonds. They were the people who would go to greater lengths for those they cared for than any mundane or even magical would. Sure, one could certainly do whatever they could to please the people they cared for, but they would support the person they had the bond with, with all they had. Even if the person they had been bonded with ended up with another person, they wouldn't mind as long as they were still in that person's life.

But stripping them from contact with the person they were bonded with would cause instability. Letters to each other, or phones would halt anything like that from happening. But making them cease contact would potentially break the bond, causing them, in their anguish, to latch onto something to focus upon, creating something else for them to care for in order to halt them from any suicidal motions. Bonds severed in such a way could, if the people were still in tune enough, still be rebuilt, but any potential romance would be drastically reduced in chance. Any relationships they would form thereafter would certainly be quite hollow, based upon more primal emotions. Sure, they may believe they were in love with their new partners, but they would never have what they could have. In addition to that, with such 'incompatibilities' present, their longevity would be affected as their magic could or would not unconsciously take their spouses as the ones they had deemed fit for them.

Nicolas shook his head ruefully, staring down at his hands as he catalogued his pondering thoughts in one of the more secure regions of his mind. He'd tried publishing his theories, which at this point weren't theories but actually proven with the 'scientific method.' He'd gone out with Perenelle and researched the bonds once they felt the bond. What they found astounded and calmed them. It was possible to have loving relationships without a bond. In fact, some of them would go their whole lives without establishing such a bond. But actually having to watch as couples wrecked their relationships due to hormones or being forced to do so… they could only hold themselves back so much, until they stopped a marriage between one Charlus Potter and Dorea Black a few decades back. Unlike Charlus' nephew who was now happily married to a mundane girl… Charlus, at the time, was in a secret relationship with a girl from the near-defunct Hooch family, Rolanda.

Nicolas knew they shouldn't have interfered, but he couldn't see a descendant of his good friends, Ignatius and Cadmus go into an unhappy marriage. But as Perenelle had said, 'What choice do we have?'

The 'government,' if the British Ministry of Magic could even be called that, was a cesspool of backstabbing, bribery and bigotry. There were notable people that strove for forward progress but the current insurrection, led by self-styled 'Dark Lord Voldemort,' certainly made it harder to have any progress as many 'forward thinkers' were being killed. Given, progress in the magical world had to be slow due to the longevity of its inhabitants, but at the same time, these were people that were in there for personal gain. Not only that, but any help from the government would come late, if ever. Especially since they had clauses allowing such pairings to exist despite the presence of a bond for purposes of personal, political, familial and/or financial gain. Laws to allow such couplings to override any other marriage contracts would have been introduced by now if the insurrectionist had not shown his head up. As for his former protégé, Albus… the boy had 'gone and dumped an erumpent horn into a cauldron of high-grade nitroglycerin,' as it were. With his retaliatory but pacifistic way of handling things, the kid had caused any progress to stagnate. Although, with the 'war' going the way it was, it wouldn't be such a bad thing especially with those forward thinkers 'disappearing.'

Nicolas grumbled to himself in his discomfort at the situation back in the United Kingdom. Every time he would get his hopes up, thinking that the country would at the very least start to be a decent place… it turns around and gives him the proverbial finger.

"Mister Amell?" a voice interrupted his musings, causing him to start and turn around.

"Yes?" he asked the male nurse, who gestured at the room.

"They're waiting for you." The nurse nodded before he quickly dodged out of the way of the impatient, but happy-looking father.

**(O_O)**

Tired and weak but with a blossoming smile on her face, Perenelle held their new child in her arms, wrapped in a sky blue blanket. She caught sight of the nurse who had to dodge out of the way as Nicolas all but ran into her room. The man was clearly beside himself with excitement, the form and comportment they'd both developed fading away in these trying but happy circumstances. Looking up at her husband's gleeful face, her smile grew wider, "It's a boy, Nicolas… and he's so beautiful."

Nicolas laughed, moving closer to look down at the most important person… correction: people in his life. "I'm not sure he'd appreciate it when he gets older, Nelle."

Shaking her head at her husband, she looked down at her son. "You won't mind, would you, little one?" As if understanding her words, their son shook his head once. The action causing Perenelle to grin triumphantly at her husband. "See, Nicky. He doesn't mind."

Scoffing, but bearing a wide grin, Nicolas nodded in defeat. "He's already a momma's boy, isn't he?"

"Just like Ritchie." She nodded, remembering their elder son. "So, are we agreed on his name?"

"Aristide Hadrian Amell. Or Harry for short." Nicolas answered with a wide smile before he stated to his wife, "I understand the Hadrian, since Hadria is our hometown. But why you want to call him Harry escapes me, love."

Giving a lighthearted shrug, Perenelle looked down at their newborn son, "It's partially true, Nicolas, but the Hadrian isn't just that I was born in Hadria, but it's also the fact that the Adriatic Sea is practically your favorite place in the whole world."

He gave her a smile on her explanation, finding that their son had a name connected to his parents' origins, he murmured, "I understand…"

"As for calling him Harry… I have a feeling, Nicolas. That name is perfect for our son."

Nodding in assent, Nicolas pulled a seat up right beside her bed. "I've been thinking, Perenelle."

Worried, she turned to him, "It isn't about Harry, is it? He's just fine, Nicky."

Chuckling, Nicolas shook his head, "No, it isn't that, Nelle… why, with my jaw and nose, your facial structure… your black hair and my green eyes, he's perfect. What I'm thinking about is for us to leave Europe."

"But we've just gotten that house by the beach, Nicolas." She protested, hugging Harry closer to her chest, only to be calmed by Nicolas' expressive eyes, showing his firm belief in what he'd thought over.

"We can keep it, Nelle, even as a summer home. In fact, what I want us to do is to, is to move here, to the North Americas." Seeing her remain calm, he continued, caressing his newborn son's head lovingly, "You've seen how much better this hospital is compared to St. Mungo's. And this is only the third best in the Americas."

Unable to deny that, Perenelle took his hand in her own before looking directly at his eyes, "What's brought this suggestion on, Nicky?"

"The insurrectionist, Nelle. That Voldemort guy." He said, squeezing her hand, "If his name is any indication, he may be of French descent, or may possibly head there eventually. Not only that, but even though we would be on the other coast, you've seen how far Grindelwald's war spread. In fact, if he hadn't supported Hitler, I doubt the devastation would have been as bad…" he trailed off, remembering several of their acquaintances who'd died merely because they lived in the wrong area or were of the wrong affiliation be it through their religious groups or their ancestry. He shook his head, trying to get back to the point, "Perenelle, I've lived this long with you… and I don't wish to have that time reduced more than it has any right to. That goes double for our son. I wish we could live in that house. We've already spent a lot of money on it, but right now, Harry's safety should be our priority. I don't want to take any chances." He finished firmly, trying to convey the sincerity of his thoughts.

Perenelle reached up with the hand not supporting Harry to cup his cheek, "You know, if you keep this up, I'm going to have to be the man in this relationship, Nicolas. You were never this..." she paused, trying to find the words as she cupped his cheek in the palm of her hand, "emotional, Nicky. If anything, I should be wondering if you were having the pregnancy and not me." She finished with a tired chuckle.

At that line, he couldn't help but join in. "I don't know why, Nelle. The fact is… I can't seem to help but act like this."

She giggled at that, "So some sort of 'eternal mid-life crises' then?" she asked playfully.

"Aw, shut up, Penny." He grumbled, slipping in a name she didn't like hearing.

"What'd you say?" she threatened playfully, unable to bring up any anger when she was feeling so happy.

"I said, pretty." He said, threading one of his hands through her hair.

Scoffing, she shot him a pleased grin, right before her eyes drooped, "I'd like to go to sleep, Nicolas…"

"Alright. I'll be here when you wake." He said, leaning forward to give her a peck on the lips.

"I agree with you, Nicky." She said tiredly, "Harry should be our top priority. Try to see what you can do, okay?"

Nodding, he stood up, planting a kiss on his son's forehead, "Of course. I'll still do my best to be here when you wake." He whispered to the now sleeping Perenelle. Looking down at his son, he saw him tiredly try to keep his eyes open. "Sleep well, son. You'll have the best and safest life yet." And with that, his son closed his green eyes, missing his father's actions.

Nicolas started setting up multiple warning wards and charms, layering them over different areas of the room. "I'm not taking any unnecessary chances." Nicolas muttered once he was done, fading from the room. The only sign that pointed to his disappearance was the small breeze that blew through the sealed room.

* * *

**- Chapter 2: End** -

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**Any questions and/or Concerns, please leave a review... or a p.m.**

**Especially about inconsistencies... Those suck, and I'll do my best to clear them up as soon as possible.**

**One More Thing:**

**BTW: FEEDBACKS! PLEASE. **

**O.K., I'm good.**

* * *

**Anyways, thanks for reading.**

**Until next time,**

**Margulide**


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